On the Wings

Update (4:30 PM): John Niyo has posted a more personal reaction to the practice over at the News’ Wings blog. (via. George Malik) - Matt

Update (12:07 PM): Apparently, I linked to the first edition of the Freep article, as there is now a piece up that has some more content. - Matt

David Guralnick/The Detroit News (gallery)

Igor Grigorenko, the most highly anticipated rookie since Henrik Zetterberg came over, has finally arrived in North America and has donned the Winged Wheel in an informal practice with a number of his teammates at a rink in Troy, MI. By all accounts, his first skate with the team went well, but that’s about all the accounts tell us, aside from the usual bits of information included in all stories about Grigorenko (The Accident, The Lost Step, The Escape Clause, etc.). Even the quotes from the Wings’ brass are the same, such as this one from Ken Holland in the Freep:

“You know, he’s an unknown for me. In the sense of how close is he to being NHL? This is a big month.

“Obviously, we’re going to give him some time. He hardly speaks the language…you know, it’s a different style of hockey. I know he’s got the hands and the head.”

The closest we get to a report on how he actually looked out there is this comment by Kris Draper, made to John Niyo of the News:

“He seems like he has a great set of hands, holding onto the puck. But it’s the first week in September — he’s still adjusting. Exhibition games and training camp are going to give you a better feel for what he’s able to do.”

So, how would you grade him, Drapes? B? B-minus?

Draper told Ansar Khan pretty much the same thing he told John Niyo, but ended with,

“Hopefully he can step in and be a good surprise, kind of like when Pav came over.”

No pressure, Igor.