September 15, 2011
Note: The article below is the English translation of the original article. Click HERE to view the original article.
Humble and reserved, amateur film and video games, the player most prominent of the Quebec Remparts is happy to see her mother come live with him.
The head coach of the Remparts, Patrick Roy, does not have to worry about seeing the soul crushing boredom of his attacker. Such is life in Grigorenko. The son of a Japanese car dealer in their city of Khabarovsk, Grigorenko moved to Moscow with her mother ten years ago to serve his brother, eight years his senior, who had aspirations to hockey.
“My mother sacrificed a lot for hockey,” said the young man, with the help of the interpreter Elena Pavlyuchenko.
Valuable presence
The career of the elder was not successful as desired, but the rise in hockey the only other child in the family, served by an extraordinary talent, has dictated the cell to remain in Moscow. The father still lives in Khabarovsk, a city the size of Quebec located near the Chinese border, and 6000 kilometers separating his family have limited to only five trips between the two cities in ten years.
So in terms of boredom long ago that the small Mikhail, who was seven when he separated from his father to settle in the capital, is immune. Surpassed by his talent, the attacker was quickly integrated into Remparts by his attitude typical North American. But the beauty of daily communication via Skype with her parents will not replace the arrival of his mother in the coming days.
“The mother is the person closest to you a. I have someone to share, count on his support, have good words when things are going so well. Living with someone in my family, I can speak in my language. I feel more comfortable. When you live in peace, then it is easier to focus on hockey, “added the number 25, for whom the” best recipes are still those of my mother. ”
Little time for him
The busy days and the period of adjustment ensure that the discoveries of Grigorenko in his new city so far are limited to ice cream “Dairy Queen” and restaurant “Boston Pizza”.
“I have not had much time to visit, with a few restaurants. The days are long. I get up early, there is the practice of morning classes (English) in afternoon naps, and it is already gone to dinner, “said player 6 feet 3 inches and 200 pounds who says regular exchange with other Russian players in the QMJHL, including Anton Zlabin (Shawinigan) and Denis Kamaev (Rouyn-Noranda).
A year or two?
Enrolled in distance university courses in sport science, Grigorenko intends to graduate in four years “if everything goes well.” But a successful career in hockey could change plans. Already his contribution to hockey in his country was exempted from compulsory military service, the same talent could also restrict the QMJHL in a single year’s show.
“I want to play in the NHL as soon as possible, but I would be willing to spend another year in Quebec.”