Mikhail Grigorenko won’t be going to the Rochester Americans after all.
On Wednesday, the Sabres announced their plan to send Grigorenko to the AHL on a conditioning assignment was ruled against by the NHL:Mikhail Grigorenko has also been returned to #Sabres after conditioning assignment ruled against by NHL.
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) November 20, 2013
(2/2)…the Sabres’ assignment for Grigorenko was ruled against by the NHL and the team respects the League’s decision.
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) November 20, 2013
Grigorenko, 19, was one of the four rookies sent packing from Buffalo on Tuesday, along with Rasmus Ristolainen, Johan Larsson and Nikita Zadorov. Ristolainen and Larsson went to Rochester while Zadorov was returned to OHL London -- but the Grigorenko situation was a bit trickier.
While he could’ve also been sent back to junior, his QMJHL team, the Quebec Remparts, already has two imports, and it’s not allowed any more. That means a trade will need to occur, either sending Grigorenko, or another import, to a different club.
Because of the AHL-CHL agreement -- CHL prospects must remain in major junior until they are 20 or have played four full seasons before playing in the American League -- Grigorenko isn’t able to play for Rochester full-time. The Sabres hoped to get him some games there on the aforementioned conditioning stint.
According to article 13.8 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Commissioner’s office “may take whatever steps he deems necessary to investigate the circumstances under which a Player is Loaned on a Conditioning Loan.” It appears the NHL has done exactly that here, and ruled against the Sabres.
As for why the league ruled against?Basically, the NHL concluded that Mikhail Grigorenko did not have “general body soreness” and was not eligible for conditioning loan.
— John Vogl (@BuffNewsVogl) November 20, 2013In a related story, the Sabres recalled Luke Adam and Brayden McNabb from the Amerks today.