Maxim Groshev broke his Top 25 streak after a strong debut in North America. Now he’ll be looking to earn a spot on the Tampa Bay Lightning this season.
| Name | Maxim Groshev |
| Position | Winger |
| Age (as of October 1) | 22 |
| Height/Weight | 6’2″, 198 lbs. |
| Expected 2024-25 Team | Syracuse Crunch |
| Draft – Year, Round | 2020, Round 3 (#85) |
| Previous Rankings | #15 (2023), #15 (2022), #15 (2021), #15 (2020) |
| Writer’s Ranking | 10 |
| Reader’s Ranking | 10 |
| Final Rank | 10 |
Stats
Our Thoughts
Honestly, we’re kind of sad that Maxim Groshev did so well in his first season with the Syracuse Crunch. Why? Well, it ruined a pretty good bit. Groshev made the Top 25 four times prior to this season, and four times he was voted into the 15th spot. However, after his debut season in the AHL, there was no denying that the 22-year-old is one of the Lightning’s ten best prospects.
Groshev is the prototypical power forward. He has size (6’2″, 198 lbs.), speed, and a willingness to throw a hit or three when he’s going after a puck. Add to that some underrated offensive skills and his ceiling with the Lightning is somewhere in the middle six rotation. The time frame for when he will suit up in the blue and white of the Lightning instead of the white and blue of the Crunch should be coming up pretty soon.
After strong performances in back-to-back rookie showcases sandwiched around an AHL season in which he put up 30 points in 67 games, Groshev should be poised to earn a spot on the Lightning at some point this season. Will it be opening night? He should have a good shot (and has the benefit of being waiver-exempt since he’s still on his Entry Level Contract) since his skills should translate to filling the roles the Lightning need at the beginning of the season.
His performance in the most recent rookie training camp (2 goals, 3 assists) could put him in the same spot that Waltteri Merela was in last season. Groshev was the most consistent player in this year’s showcase. Merela used that performance to make the opening night roster. While he didn’t get into a game before sent to Syracuse, he showed the staff that he belonged in the NHL, and was one of the first players recalled in November. Groshev could and should follow a similar trajectory this season.
If he earns a spot on the bottom-six, he would give the Lightning an injection of speed and some offensive skill. He has the size to keep from being pushed around on the ice and a willingness to attack on the forecheck to win pucks along the boards or create turnovers.
Groshev started his Syracuse career on fire as he put up 13 points (8 goals, 5 assists) in his first 13 games, highlighted by a hat trick against Bridgeport on November 14th. Then things dried up as he had just 2 assists in his next 15 games, and then not score a goal over his final 25 games, a healthy drought for any player, but especially one with the offensive skills that Groshev has.
While he struggled to put the puck in the net on his own, he did have a decent amount of helpers, and one thing to note is that 16 of his 20 assists were primary assists. He wasn’t getting cheap points. In fact, of his 30 points, 26 came at 5v5 and only one goal came on the power play. If the Lightning want to improve their 5v5 scoring, Groshev could be a nice depth option.
Now, if there is anything we do know, it’s that Coach Cooper and the staff do favor veterans when it comes down to filling out a roster. So Logan Brown or Jesse Ylonen could have an edge over Groshev, but it’s on him to make his case and not give them a reason to send him back to Syracuse. If he does end up back in Syracuse, he’ll have to pick up his goal-scoring a bit and show a little more offensive consistency.
Groshev probably isn’t going to be a 20-goal guy in the NHL, but he should be a 10-15 guy who chips in 10-15 assists as well while playing responsible hockey. There is a place on the Lightning for that type of player and Groshev has a chance to earn that spot this fall.
Highlight Videos
It’s always good to have an idea (or two) of what to do if the puck comes to you. From the spot he initially received the puck, it would have been a decent idea to shoot right away, but with the defender sliding out to block the puck, Groshev knew that opened up a passing lane on the ice. He fed it over to Sean Day for the much easier shot.
The benefit of having a nice hard one-timer is that it creates rebounds. Not sure if that was Groshev’s intention with his quick shot here, but the Pass off the Pads worked for Fortier’s rebound goal.
Groshev racked up a lot of primary assists on the season. Excellent vision is a primary reason for this. We can easily see Lilleberg cutting to the far post from our vantage point up high, but that isn’t quite as easy to see on the ice. Yet, Groshev saw him make his move and perfectly threaded the pass.
That right there is an NHL-caliber shot. He leaned into it and snapped it off with a lot of pace. It’ll play at any level of hockey.
