Evgeny Grachev News and Interviews

After Evgeny Grachev, also Vyacheslav Voinov won't be freed up by his NHL team for the upcoming 2010 World Junior Championship. The young defenseman, property of the Los Angeles Kings, is playing in the AHL for the Manchester Monarchs.

According to Sport Express, the Russian Hockey Federation received today a fax which explained that both Grachev and Voinov can't skate in the WJC as they will be busy with their North American clubs. Team's head coach Vladimir Plyuschev added that the IIHF can't have a role in the matter.

On the other hand team Russia, which is having a training camp in Novogorsk, has been joined by North American based Dmitry Kostromitin and Anton Klementyev.

In this exclusive RussianHockeyFans.com interview, New York Rangers' prospect, 19 years old Evgeny Grachev confirms that he won't go to the WJC, talks about his AHL experience and hints that he isn't going to follow Nikita Filatov's route and bolt back to the KHL.

Today coach Vladimir Plyuschev released the extended list of the players called for the WJC. Nikita Filatov is there, as well as Evgeny Grachev, who recently has been ruled out by the Rangers. Kirill Kabanov isn't part of the roster.

The New York Rangers refuse to allow Evgeny Grachev, currently playing for their AHL team Hartford Wolf Pack, to participate in the upcoming World Junior Championship in Saskatoon, says the official Russian Hockey Federation site.

Yesterday the Rangers sent a fax to RHF where they say that Grachev can't go the WJC because he is expected to play in official games during the time the championship will take place.

Russian Hockey Federation plans to appeal to the IIHF for explanation.