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After AHL demotion nixed, Grigorenko in for Sabres vs. Flyers

grigorenkogetty

Mikhail Grigorenko’s up-and-down week is going back up.

For now.

Grigorenko, who earlier this week had his AHL conditioning assignment rejected by the NHL, will be back in the Sabres’ lineup tonight to take on the Flyers in Philadelphia.

The 19-year-old Russian, in and out of the Buffalo lineup this season, looked to be Rochester bound on Tuesday as the Sabres sent him -- along with Rasmus Ristolainen and Johan Larsson -- to the Amerks. The catch with Grigorenko, though, was that he couldn’t play in the American League due to the CHL-AHL agreement (CHL prospects must remain in major junior until they are 20, or have played four full seasons before playing in the American League.)

Because Grigorenko was drafted out of QMJHL Quebec -- opposed to Ristolainen (TPS, Finland) and Larsson (Brynas, Sweden) -- the only way he could be AHL-eligible was through a conditioning assignment, so Buffalo tried to slide him through on the grounds of “general body soreness,” which the NHL wasn’t buying.

So, Grigo was forced back to Buffalo...and right back into the lineup.

He’ll play tonight for the first time in three games, looking to build upon the three points he scored in his last four contests (including a pair of goals against Anaheim on Nov. 8.)