Max Groshev, more like Max Chaos. The young winger converted to defense last season to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a type of player they really don’t have in their system.
| Name | Maxim Groshev |
| Position | Defense (Left-Shot) |
| Age (as of October 1) | 23 |
| Height/Weight | 6’2″, 198 lbs. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | Syracuse Crunch |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2020, 3rd Round (#85) |
| Previous Rankings | 15 (2020), 15 (2021), 15 (2022), 15 (2023), 10 (2024) |
| Justin G. Ranking | 11 |
| Final Rank | 10 |
Stats:
Our Thoughts:
What Maxim Groshev is trying to do is not easy. Plenty of hockey players have moved from offense to defense at lower stages in their career, but to try it at the second-best level of hockey in the world is a heck of an experiment. And it’s not like Groshev was a terrible forward. Was he inconsistent? Yes, but in his first full season with the Crunch (2023-24) he recorded 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 67 games.
He was profiling as a fast, strong forward that had dips in his effectiveness from time to time. It was Syracuse head coach Joel Bouchard who first broached the topic with his young player. After serving his ten-game suspension for racially insensitive language in March, Groshev started his career as a blueliner. There was definitely something there from the beginning. The Lightning have a lot of stay-at-home, defensively-strong blueliners, as well as a few that have some offensive instincts, but what they don’t have is a puck-carrying, net-driving wild card like Groshev.
The most entertaining aspect of those first few games is Groshev’s refusal to pass the puck out of the defensive zone. We have no actual statistical data to back this up, but we’re pretty sure his carry percentage out of his own zone was 100%. For the most part it worked out, but there was the occasional turnover as he tried to weave through three opponents.
It was a little less prevalent in the pre-season this year, but it was obvious that his first instinct is to carry the puck first. Part of his learning process will be figuring out when to make the simple pass, when to fire it off the glass and out, and when to carry it out of the zone. The best way he’s going to learn that is in game action, so expect him to get quite a few minutes in Syracuse this season.
If he can limit the bad decisions and turnovers while maintaining that forward’s desire to drive to the net with the puck, he’ll give the Lightning a dangerous, puck-carrying defensive that can be a one-man offensive rush. Driving defenders back as he carries the puck in will create a ton of space behind him for the forwards.
Expect Bouchard to pair him with a steady, stay-at-home style of defender. Groshev’s desire to jump up into the play and drive down low is great, but it can leave an opening if he’s not on the same page with his teammates. He’ll also have to recognize when and when not to attack the net.
In his own zone, there is still some work to do. He does get caught chasing after the puck a little as opposed to staying in his zone of responsibility. Again, that’s something that can be coached into him and more game action will help out. Groshev has decent size and a bit of a nasty edge to his game. He will have to get a little stronger to help keep the front of the net clean.
After five years of profiling him as a forward, it feels like we’re starting over with him as a prospect. We’ll see how he does in his first full season as a defender, but there is definitely a glimmer of something that could be special in his game from the blueline.
Your Thoughts:
“Had no idea what to do with Groshev. The guy was one of our best prospects during the last two years preseason action but can’t make an impact in the AHL and now playing defense?”
Highlight Videos:
"SCORREEE, on the rebound!"
— Lightning Audio Network (@BoltsRadio) September 27, 2025
Groshev cleans up on the doorstep!#CARvsTBL
🎧: https://t.co/S6Y9Tynk9H
📻: @1025TheBone pic.twitter.com/q1Fm8ln1yf
Here Groshev is more than happy to join the rush and is in the right spot to poke home the rebound. This is where he can be the most dangerous, jumping up into the play to help out number the opponents.
👊🚨 Max Groshev (#23) squeaks it home through the five hole on the power play for his 7th goal of the AHL season! Logan Brown (#22) and Joel Teasdale (#42) pick up the assists.#GoBolts
— Future Bolts (@LightningProsp1) April 20, 2025
pic.twitter.com/VxB3oU4E6i
Groshev has a cannon for a shot, and he should have a little more room to let it go from the blueline. It’ll be an asset, especially on the power play, but he’ll have to show teams that he can also hit his teammates with accurate passes or else they’ll just collapse on him when the puck heads his way.
