Nikita Grebenkin is gearing up for his push to make the Philadelphia Flyers out of training camp this fall, and he's gotten some advice from Washington Capitals star and NHL legend Alexander Ovechkin on how to do it.
Grebenkin, 22, told MatchTV that he recently met Ovechkin in Turkey, had a normal conversation with the Russian sharpshooter, and learned some things that will help him in the NHL this year.
"Alexander Ovechkin gave me advice. But I won't tell you what it was. It will help me next season," Grebenkin told MatchTV slyly.
"I'm not the kind of guy who always wants to talk to someone and say: 'Please, please take me.' I recently met Alexander in Turkey, of course, it's great to talk to such guys. Everything was simple. I didn't feel any barrier, everything was fine. Because I overcome all barriers."
Suffice to say, Grebenkin wasn't feeling the pressure of speaking to a legend of his nation and a legend of his profession.
It helps, too, that Flyers teammate Matvei Michkov also recently posted a photo with Ovechkin; check out the community post to see that one.
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Grebenkin's comments bode well for his NHL future with the Flyers, honestly.
He already played seven games for former Flyers head coach Craig Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs last season and was close to making his Flyers debut, only for the emergency conditions he was re-called from the AHL under to expire minutes prior to the game.
The 22-year-old has a rather clear path to NHL playing time with Tyson Foerster's status unclear for opening night and the aging Nick Deslauriers seemingly no longer an every-night NHL player.
Grebenkin's skillset is tailor-made for playing the role of a playmaking bottom-six grinder, and maybe even a complementary power forward at the highest end of his NHL projection.
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Maybe Ovechkin was telling Grebenkin about some of the things Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson does well?
But, yeah, a solid summer of training and preparing should have Grebenkin knocking on the door for the Flyers, and learning a few tricks of the trade from a guy like The Great 8 never hurts, either.
Time will tell if Grebenkin walks the walk and cracks the Flyers, but he's certainly endeared himself to an anxious Philadelphia fanbase hoping some of its young players finally take a meaningful step forward.