Mikhail Grabovski Praises Scoolu on Sportsnet 31 Thoughts Podcast
Former Toronto Maple Leafs player Mikhail Grabovski announced his involvement with Scoolu on Sportsnet’s 31 Thoughts Podcast with Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman.
On March 15th 2019, Mikhail Grabovski joined radio host Jeff Marek and sports journalist Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet’s 31 Thoughts Podcast for their first ever live event at the Sportsnet Grill in downtown Toronto.
Before letting the crowd have a piece of their notorious guest, Jeff and Elliotte caught up with Grabovski, asking him about life during and after his time playing in the NHL.
Getting to Know Grabovski
Mikhail was raised in Belarus, knowing little to no English. He quickly worked his way up the hockey ranks and moved to Moscow to play for one of the most successful clubs in Russia, HC Dynamo Moscow.
After a successful season Mikhail was quickly recognized overseas and drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
When Jeff asked about whether Mikhail was intimidated to come to North America, the Belarusian didn’t falter.
“It’s hard but I had in my mind a dream to play here against the best players” Mikhail said.
After being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008, Mikhail furthered his dream by using his dedication and hard work ethic to make a name for himself among players and leafs nation.
Former Leafs teammate, Colby Armstrong sent a clip in to 31 Thoughts to tell listeners exactly how he felt about the Belarusian player.
“He was a great teammate when I played with him. Hard-working, electric, brave as hell. A fun guy to be around everday.” Colby said.
Mikhail was named assistant captain for the leafs, racking up 81 points during the 2010-11 season and playing on what Jeff and Elliotte describe as a “fantastic line” with Clarke MacArthur and Nikolay Kulemin.
What Mikhail Is Up to Now
Mikhail explained to 31 Thoughts listeners that since leaving the NHL he’s not only spending more time with his family, but he’s also getting involved in many other hockey opportunities.
Alongside, launching a hockey development company, Mikhail has made it his mission to travel the world and use social media to expose different hockey culture. His most recent trip taking him to Dubai.
Mikhail also announced his involvement in Scoolu.
“Scoolu is an online program to learn sport from really good coaching and ex-players,” Mikhail explained.
He then went on to explain that Scoolu offers online and in-person coaching for more than just hockey. The platform has multiple categories and coaches in both music and sports.
“I think it’s really important when you’re a player to not just learn from your coach of your team but learn from the players who were one of the best in the NHL" and Scoolu has just that.