GRACHEV BACK IN HARTFORD 

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Evgeny Grachev has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Grachev, 20, skated in six consecutive games following his recall on October 28.  He was credited with four hits while making his NHL debut on October 29 vs. Carolina, and logged a season-high, 10:13 of ice time in Friday’s 3-0 win at New Jersey.

Last season, the 6-4, 224-pounder led all Hartford rookies in assists (16), points (28) and power play goals (four), and tied for first on the Wolf Pack in goals (12).  Grachev also tied for sixth on the team in goals, eighth in points and ninth in assists.  He registered five multi-point efforts, including three multi-goal performances, and recorded a season-high, four-game scoring streak from October 9 at Providence to October 16 at Portland (one goal and three assists).  Grachev notched his first professional point with a power play goal on October 9 at Providence, and made his professional debut on October 3 at Binghamton.

The Khabarovsk, Russia native was originally the Rangers’ third round choice, 75th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

The Rangers will continue their longest homestand of the season, tomorrow, November 9, when they face-off against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.).  The contest is the second game of the four-game homestand for the Blueshirts, who will host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, November 11, before closing out the homestand against the Edmonton Oilers in a matinee match-up on Sunday, November 14.

(With Grachev coming back to Hartford, important questions now need to be asked. With the Wolf Pack seeming to have found some lines that have some chemistry and click, where does the enigmatic Grachev play? Who will sit upon his return to the lineup tomorrow night? Does Grachev, having had a taste of life in the NHL start start playing like he deserves to be there or does he go back to being Houdini again with his world-class disappearing act? It’s important to note that Grachev has scored only once in his last 47 games in the AHL. The likely candidate to sit is Tyler Donati and that Grachev will play right wing with Kris Newbury and Justin Soryal.

Another question that Ken Gernander is going to be faced with shortly is the imminent return of Dale Weise. Weise is about three weeks away from coming back after wrist surgery. Then another contributor will sit. That’s a tougher call. Does Gernander go back and reunite Dane Byers, Newbury and Weise? They could return Grachev to playing the middle and Chris McKelvie could sit or they could sit Kelsey Tessier who has had a very solid year to this point.

Another question is Brandon Wong? Is he likely to be sent to Greenville? he hasn’t had much playing time and that’s not likely to improve with Grachev and then Weise, a couple of weeks from now, coming back.)