Like most Americans, my wife and I aren't rich. We make enough to get by, but not much more than that. When we need to make a major purchase, I ask her if it is necessary. I don't want to waste money. More importantly, if we are going to spend money on it, I want to make sure it is used and not just collecting dust.
I bring this up because the price paid for Nikita Grebenkin last spring was fairly high. To acquire him, as well as a first-round pick, the Flyers needed to send Scott Laughton and a pair of picks to Toronto. While you could argue that the first-round pick was the major prize in that deal, although we won't see that until 2027, Grebenkin was the immediate prize.
Grebenkin was a surprise within the Maple Leafs' system. After all, he was a fifth-round pick in 2022 and only had limited experience in the Russian junior leagues. However, a breakout season with Magnitogorsk Metallurg of the KHL in 2023-24, in which he scored 19 goals with 22 assists, caught the attention of the Leafs' management. He came over, started with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, and appeared in 39 games. In that time, he scored nine times with a dozen assists. He was even called up to the Maple Leafs for a seven-game stint.
He was seen as a raw, yet fast-rising talent in Toronto's system. Grebenkin is a 6'2", 210 lbs bruiser who could also score. Teams like to have big guys who can deliver hits as well as points. He's a big left winger who could be turned into a decent attacker. It was because of this that he became a prospect of interest for several teams during last year's trade deadline as Toronto attempted, and failed yet again, to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
So far this season, Grebenkin has appeared in 12 of the 19 games for the Flyers. He has scored one goal with two assists. He's doled out 20 hits, good for 8th on the team, which isn't bad considering everyone above him has appeared in all 19 games (except for Nicolas Deslauriers with 32 hits in eight games). He's also registered three blocked shots and intercepted nine passes. At the same time, he's collected only 19 penalty minutes with just one fight. For a rookie winger, these aren't terrible stats.
However, he is averaging just 9:35 minutes a game on the ice. Out of players who've played 10 or more games this season, only Rodrigo Abols at 9:22 has less time on the ice. Garnet Hathaway, who's played in all 19 games, has just a bit more time, averaging 9:53. For a player that the Flyers are trying to figure out what they have, he needs more time to showcase his skill set.
With the Flyers "going younger", Grebenkin is one of those pieces that the team needs to see if they are worth keeping. With players like Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae trying to secure a place in the lineup, the Flyers' management needs to test what Grebenkin can do. He needs to be pushed to see if he can become an explosive scorer. If not, can he become a younger bruiser of the likes of Hathaway and Deslauriers, which in effect would make them expendable.
The team cannot know what they have in him if he is not given the time to prove himself. Perhaps moving him around the lineup to see what lines/roles he fits in best. Moving forward, this might be one of the best things that this team can do. If it is determined that he can fill a role here, he could be signed and remain here for years to come. If not, you can trade him while he is still valuable.