Matvei Gridin (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Matvei Gridin became one of four Russian players selected in the first round of the last NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old forward went later than the rest of his compatriots, being chosen by the Calgary Flames with the 28th pick. Gridin has signed an entry-level contract with the Flames and attended the training camp.
Calgary Flames Training Camp
“I arrived on September 2 and left in early October. I spent a month in Calgary, arriving a week before the training camp to adjust to the new time zone,” said Gridin in a one-on-one interview with RG.
“At first, I observed the players there, like Jonathan Huberdeau, Andrei Kuzmenko, Yegor Sharangovich, and it was a shock just to be next to them. But that was for the first couple of days, then I got used to it. I talked to the Russian guys; they said this year’s preseason was much harder than last year because of the high intensity. All the drills were explained to us before practice, with only a couple of breaks in between. Usually, we had four drills in a row with no breaks. Then the coaches explained a new set of drills. It was tough. The speed at which they practice in the NHL is very high; and you need to get used to it quickly. I quickly understood what I needed to work on to get to this level."
“Six Russian players attended training camp in Calgary: Gridin, Andrei Kuzmenko, Daniil Miromanov, Yan Kuznetsov, Artem Grushnikov, and Ilya Nikolaev, along with two more Belarusians, Yegor Sharangovich and Ilya Solovyov. We all stuck together. I could ask anyone a question, and everyone would want to help. All of them explained how to communicate with the coach, simplified some everyday issues, showed me the best places to eat, and so on.”
Life In the QMJHL
In early October, Gridin was assigned to the QMJHL. The young forward was originally drafted 1st overall by the Val-d’Or Foreurs in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, but his rights were traded to the more competitive Shawinigan Cataractes. The regular season had already started in the QMJHL, but Gridin could still hit the ground running, notching two goals and four points in five games.
"At first, it seemed to me that the league was weaker than the USHL, but after a few games, I changed my mind. The QMJHL is a strong league; it’s different from the USHL. There are fewer skilled players, but the pace is higher, and the game is much faster. You need to get used to it.
“I’m not happy with my game yet. I just need to get used to the league, and everything will be fine. I need a couple more games to adapt and find chemistry with my new linemates. Opponents play hard and attentively against me, but, at the same time, I have some space to make plays. It is noticeable that everyone wants to hit me or hurt me. Fights are prohibited, but you can push, hit me on the sly – there is a lot of that."
Gridin is the only player on the Shawinigan Cataractes with an NHL contract.
"I feel pressure, I understand that I am seen as a leader, that I need to be at my best in every game. This motivates me even more, but also adds anxiety. I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, and I’m working on it right now."
Matvei says that the training process in the Shawinigan is similar to that of the NHL.
"Here, everything is similar to the NHL: fewer practices, more games. We played on Friday, then Sunday, and our next game is on Wednesday, and then on Friday. In general, the schedule is very busy. You can attend optional practices, which is encouraged but not mandatory. It’s a little tougher for the other guys because they go to school during the day, but I study online in a Russian college, so my schedule is more flexible. We have practices in the morning, then everyone goes to school, and then there is extra ice. Anyone who finished their classes can join in."
Gridin is gradually getting used to Shawinigan, a city on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area of Quebec, Canada. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it had a population of 49,620.
"The language is difficult, everyone speaks French, they don't speak English very well. The guys on the team speak well, everything hockey-related is in English, but it's more difficult for me in stores and restaurants. I keep listening to French, it sounds like a very difficult language, so I haven't started learning it yet."
Moving to North America at 16
When Gridin decided to move to the United States, he brought his mother. He has been living with her in North America for two years now, while his dad works in St. Petersburg, Russia. Matvei moved to the US in 2022, when he was 16, and played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL for two seasons. Before that, he played for Spartak St. Petersburg U18 and Avangard U17 teams.
“Before Christmas, I scored six points in the first 20 games. Then, the team changed the coach, and the new one became more trusting of the young players. They started putting me in the top-6, and I got injured when everything started to improve. I missed about two months and, as a result, I only played 40 games out of 62 in the season.”
2024 NHL Draft and Contract with Calgary
The following season, Gridin became the USHL’s top scorer with the Muskegon Lumberjacks scoring 83 (38+45) points in just 60 games. In most pre-draft rankings, Gridin wasn’t considered a first-round pick, but he was confident that he would be selected on the first day.
"Before the draft, I was sure that I would be selected at the end of the first round. I don't remember any meetings with the Flames representatives at all. After the draft combine, I thought that Colorado or Toronto would select me. I didn't think Calgary was interested at all. Toronto had 23rd pick, Colorado had 24th, but both teams traded their picks, so I thought I would be selected in the second round."
Before the draft, Gridin took part in a training camp in Miami, organized by agent Dan Milstein for his young clients. General managers and scouts from many NHL teams to watch the hockey players.
"The camp helped me with the draft, 100 percent. It's great that Dan organized this private camp because it was beneficial for the guys who play in Russia. It’s hard for scouts to watch Russian players now. I can’t say that we had difficult training sessions, we just wanted to show the scouts some in-game moments. We played three-on-three, four-on-four, five-on-five,” Gridin said.
Right after the draft, Gridin attended Calgary’s development camp and signed his entry-level contract with the Flames.
“I had a Canadian visa to fly to Calgary after the draft. Development camp is primarily an introduction for the players to the organization. On the other hand, training camp in September is more for the coaches so that they can watch the players.
“Signing a contract with an NHL team has been a major goal of mine since I was a kid. Of course, the main dream is to win the Stanley Cup, but one step at a time.”
By signing a contract with Calgary, Gridin closed the door to the NCAA. Even before the draft, the University of Michigan announced that the Russian forward would play for their team next season. Afterwards, there were some reports that Gridin would not play for the University of Michigan next season because his grades were not good enough.
Comparison with Svechnikov & Kuznetsov
Gridin is often compared to the Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, who also left Russia for the USHL at 16.
"I can see it; my path has been similar to Svechnikov’s, but when people ask me who I resemble the most, I always name Evgeny Kuznetsov. He is my favorite player. I think we have similarities in terms of hockey IQ and skating. He’s not the player he once was, but he is still very skilled. I fell in love with his game when I was about five. When I lived in Khabarovsk, Kuznetsov played for the Traktor, and I even have a photo of us together. He was my idol. There was also Datsyuk, who I was fond of.
“My top 3 favorite players are Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon. Their skills are on a different level. Kucherov is different from Mac. He has a gift, I don’t know how it’s possible to play like Nikita.”
Nutrition and Goals for the Season
Despite his young age, Gridin is very attentive to his body and carefully monitors his diet.
“I am attentive to my diet; it’s hard to please me regarding nutrition. I live with my mother, and she cooks a lot; I don’t know what I would do without her. It’s important for me to eat right, so that my meals are balanced. It’s harder to eat healthy in the US than in Russia. I almost never eat anywhere except at home.
“At development camp in Calgary, I talked to a nutritionist about gaining three kilograms of muscle mass. She wrote me a plan and her recommendations helped me a lot. Now I’m 6’1 and 190 pounds.
“The goal for this season is to work on my weaknesses, like my play away from the puck in the defensive zone, forechecking, and backchecking. It will help me accomplish my goal of making the NHL next year. Calgary has a young, rebuilding team, which could help a young guy like me break through if the opportunity presents itself. It’s on me to prepare for that opportunity."
Daria went to St. Petersburg State University and earned a bachelor of international journalism. Working as a sports journalist from 2014, from 2016 as a hockey journalist. Covered 5 World Championships, 2022 Winter Olympics, 2020 World Juniors, 6 Gagarin Cup Finals.
Owner of a telegram channel Coolest Game on Earth.
Integrative nutritionist specializing on sports nutritionology.
