Nikita Grebyonkin

March 2024 – Grebyonkin wrapped up his first full KHL season with 19 goals and 41 points in 67 games played. His season points-per-game rate of 0.61 ranks 14th all-time for 20-year-old players in the KHL. There have been some rumours swirling around about Grebyonkin’s contract status heading into next year but it does seem likely that he will stay in Russia for at least one more season. Curtis Rines

January 2024 – Grebyonkin is shaping up to be a potential late-round steal for Toronto. The Russian winger has 14 goals and 31 points this season in 54 KHL contests. For a 20-year-old, it is pretty impressive. With the puck skills and overall hockey IQ, Grebyonkin has all the potential in the world to become a future top-six winger for the Maple Leafs. Curtis Rines

February 2023 – It has been an astounding first full season in the KHL for Grebyonkin. The 19-year-old winger has nine goals and 23 points in 40 points for Amur Khabarovsk. Grebyonkin has shown a great ability to finish and has displayed some sneaky good hands. It is still early in his career but to put up numbers like this in the KHL at such a young age is a promising sign from Toronto’s fifth-round pick. Curtis Rines

July 2022 – The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Grebyonkin in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, 135th overall, after he went undrafted in his first year of eligibility.

Grebyonkin had a productive season in the MHL, notching 17 goals and 47 assists in 58 games for Magnitogorsk’s junior team. Primarily a playmaker, he displays good vision and creativity in the offensive zone. He is constantly scanning the ice for a passing option and can find teammates with slick passes through traffic in a timely fashion. Grebyonkin is a high-end puck handler who not only has the skill to beat defenders one-on-one but shows advanced puck protection habits along the boards where he can create chances off the wall. While he does most of his damage as a passer, he also has a bit of a nose for the net where he can make goaltenders look foolish in tight. Beyond that, he has a quick and accurate release that can beat goaltenders from distance but he usually looks for a passing option when presented with time and space. Grebyonkin is a long-term project who will have to clean up his skating stride and improve his play away from the puck but he has a solid offensive skill set and should push for steadier playing time in the KHL next season. Nick Richard