Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Wolf Pack has signed forward Maxime Gratchev to an American Hockey League contract.
Gratchev, a 21-year-old native of Novosibirsk, Russia, is entering his second year of pro hockey. As a rookie this past season, the 5-11, 198-pounder split the campaign among the Binghamton Senators and Rochester Americans of the AHL and the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.
In 17 games with Binghamton, Gratchev notched two goals and three assists for five points, along with 10 penalty minutes. In 13 outings in a Rochester uniform, he chipped in two goals and two assists for four points, while serving six minutes in penalties. Gratchev was also scoreless in two playoff games for the Americans.
In ECHL action with the Jackals in 2009-10, Gratchev scored at a better than a point-per-game pace, posting 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points in 40 games, as well as 51 penalty minutes. His goal total of 17 was good for fifth on the Elmira club. Gratchev also tied for the second-most postseason goals on the Jackal team, tallying twice in five games. He also added a pair of assists for a total of four playoff points, along with eight penalty minutes.
Gratchev was a fourth-round pick (106th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 2007 NHL Draft, out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he skated for five seasons prior to graduating to the pro ranks last year. Gratchev amassed career totals of 92 goals, 120 assists, 212 points and 377 PIM in 282 QMJHL games.
Gratchev made his pro debut with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers late in the 2008-09 season, suiting up for one regular-season game and one postseason contest.
