Marc-André Gragnani Explained

Ntl Team:CAN
Team:Free Agent
Former Teams:Buffalo Sabres
Vancouver Canucks
Carolina Hurricanes
HC Lev Praha
SC Bern
New Jersey Devils
Kunlun Red Star
Dinamo Minsk
Djurgårdens IF
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lb:205
Birth Date:March 11, 1987
Birth Place:L'Île-Bizard, Quebec, Canada
Draft:87th overall
Draft Year:2005
Draft Team:Buffalo Sabres
Career Start:2007

Marc-André Gragnani (born March 11, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played with Djurgårdens IF then of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He spent four-and-a-half seasons playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates. He also played half a season with Vancouver before signing with Carolina as a free agent. On July 3, 2015, Gragnani signed a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils for whom he appeared four times.

Playing career

He played minor hockey for the Dauphins de Deux-Rives followed by four years in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He was selected 87th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and signed a professional contract with the Sabres in June 2007. After completing his junior career with the PEI Rocket, Gragnani began his professional career within the Sabres organization in the 2007–08 season, making his debut on February 23, 2008. Although originally drafted as a defenceman, Gragnani shifted to the left wing position during his first season.[1] In April 2009, he established a new record for Portland defencemen with 51 points in the regular season. He also set the Portland franchise record for assists by a defenceman in a single season with 42. In 2011, he broke both of his own records by registering 48 assists and 60 points in a single season.

Gragnani was called up to the parent Buffalo Sabres in March 2011. His first NHL goal was a game-winning overtime goal in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on April 3, 2011. Gragnani signed a two-year contract extension with the Sabres in the 2011 offseason.

After making the Sabres lineup for the first time out of training camp and earning a regular roster spot to begin the 2011–12 season, he was made a consistent healthy scratch by February 2012. At the NHL trade deadline, on February 27, he was traded along with forward Zack Kassian to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Cody Hodgson and defenceman Alexander Sulzer. By that point in the season, Gragnani had played only once in the Sabres' previous month of games. Joining Vancouver, he was made a healthy scratch for the team's first game following the trade before making his Canucks debut on March 1,[2] a 2–0 win against the St. Louis Blues.[3] He finished the year playing in 14 games for Vancouver and did not appear in the playoffs.

By the end of the season, Gragnani had not played in enough games to earn unrestricted free agent status, remaining a restricted free agent if he was tendered a qualifying offer. With no intention of re-singing Gragnani, the Canucks unsuccessfully attempted to trade him at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Unable to move Gragnani, Vancouver chose not to give him a qualifying offer.[4] As an unrestricted free agent Gragnani signed a one-year two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.[5]

On May 22, 2013, he signed a two-year contract in the Kontinental Hockey League with HC Lev Praha of the Czech Republic.[6] In the 2013–14 season, Gragnani scored just 9 points in 42 games, but helped the club reach the Gagarin Cup finals in the post-season.

With the Bankruptcy of Lev Praha leading to the club folding, Gragnani settled the remaining year of his contract to become a free agent.[7] On July 10, 2014, Gragnani moved to the Swiss National League A, signing a one-year deal with SC Bern.[8]

On July 3, 2015, after two seasons abroad, Gragnani returned to the NHL in signing as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the New Jersey Devils.[9] In the 2015–16 season, Gragnani was assigned for the majority of the year to AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils. He was recalled to the Devils to appear in four games.

As a free agent in the off-season, Gragnani opted to return to Europe, signing a one-year deal with Belarusian club, HC Dinamo Minsk of the KHL on August 1, 2016.[10] After two seasons with Minsk, Gragnani left the team however opted to continue in the KHL for the 2018–19 season, signing a one-year contract with Chinese outfit, HC Kunlun Red Star, on August 13, 2018.[11]

On August 2, 2019, Gragnani continued his career in the KHL, returning for a second stint with HC Dinamo Minsk on a one-year contract.[12]

International play

During the 2017–18 season, Gragnani was selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Used in an offensive roving role, Gragnani contributed with 3 assists in 6 games to help Canada claim the bronze medal.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2002–03West Island LionsQMAAA343151822
2003–04P.E.I. RocketQMJHL612131542110004
2004–05P.E.I. RocketQMJHL6810293948
2005–06P.E.I. RocketQMJHL6216557175614514
2006–07P.E.I. RocketQMJHL6522466858758134
2007–08Rochester AmericansAHL7814385238
2007–08Buffalo SabresNHL20004
2008–09Portland PiratesAHL76942515950224
2008–09Buffalo SabresNHL40002
2009–10Portland PiratesAHL661231433740220
2010–11Portland PiratesAHL6312486051
2010–11Buffalo SabresNHL9123271674
2011–12Buffalo SabresNHL441111220
2011–12Vancouver CanucksNHL141236
2012–13Charlotte CheckersAHL423252829
2012–13Carolina HurricanesNHL10000
2013–14HC Lev PrahaKHL4227943220440
2014–15SC BernNLA498293718111450
2015–16Albany DevilsAHL5713031161103316
2015–16New Jersey DevilsNHL40002
2016–17Dinamo MinskKHL56433373850112
2017–18Dinamo MinskKHL556293554
2018–19Kunlun Red StarKHL232111314
2019–20Dinamo MinskKHL478172520
2020–21Djurgårdens IFSHL5235010000
2021–22Djurgårdens IFSHL32410146
NHL totals78315183671674
KHL totals2232297119169270552

International

YearTeamEventResult GPGAPtsPIM
2005CanadaWJC1860330
2011CanadaWC5th61122
2018CanadaOG60332
Junior totals60330
Senior totals121454

Awards and honours

AwardYear
AHL
First All-Star Team2011[13]
Eddie Shore Award2011[14]
KHL
All-Star Game2018

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sabres call up Gragnani . wgr550.com . 2008-02-23 . 2010-01-02 .
  2. News: Marc-Andre Gragnani makes Canucks debut - on the left side. 2012-03-01. 2012-03-01. The Province.
  3. News: Canucks 2, Blues 0. 2012-03-01. 2012-03-01. Vancouver Canucks. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120305083925/http://canucks.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2011020957. 2012-03-05.
  4. News: Rome, Gragnani won't be back next season with the Canucks. 2012-07-13. 2012-06-26. The Vancouver Sun. Ziemer. Brad.
  5. News: Carolina inks D Gragnani. 2012-07-13. 2012-07-11. The Miami Herald.
  6. Web site: The D-men cometh: Gragnani & Ševc. 2013-06-19. 2013-05-22. LevPraha.cz. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081030/http://en.levpraha.cz/clanek.asp?id=259. 2016-03-04. dead.
  7. Web site: Nemen, Vrana and Engren move to Atlant . . 2014-07-02 . 2014-07-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162423/http://www.levpraha.com/clanek.asp?id=Nemec-Vrana-Engren-move-to-Atlant-886 . 2014-07-14 . dead .
  8. Web site: Marc-Andre Gragnani to SCB . . 2014-07-10 . 2014-07-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140713023945/http://www.scb.ch/news/meldung/newsitem/marc-andre-gragnani-zum-scb.html . 2014-07-13 . dead .
  9. Web site: Devils sign defenseman Gragnani . . 2015-07-03 . 2015-07-03.
  10. Web site: Gragnani in Minsk . . 2016-08-01 . 2016-08-01 . Russian.
  11. Web site: Kunlun sign Marc-Andre Gragnani . . 2018-08-13 . 2018-08-13.
  12. Web site: Marc-Andre Gragnani returns to Dinamo Minsk . . August 2, 2019 . August 2, 2019 . Belarusian.
  13. Web site: 2010-11 First and Second All-Stars named . . 2011-04-01 . 2011-04-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120921025916/http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408%26t%3Dmobile_news_article%26bblh%3Dother . 2012-09-21 .
  14. Web site: Gragnani Named AHL's Outstanding Defenseman . . 2010-04-20 . 2010-04-20.