Nikita Grebenkin Tells the Truth About the Toronto Market Months After Being Traded by the Maple Leafs
Photo credit: Imagn Images
Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nikita Grebenkin is gearing up for a season with the Philadelphia Flyers, although he is still thinking about his time in Toronto.
During his brief time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nikita Grebenkin was beloved.
This was especially true at the beginning of last season, when he had numerous interviews that went viral in the media.
However, he was eventually sent to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Scott Laugton trade, which has remained quite controversial.
Nikita Grebenkin on the Toronto Maple Leafs
In a new interview, Grebenkin spoke about his time in Toronto and just how well the team would prepare for games.
For the first two or three weeks, I was in shock at how high their level was -- their preparation, their practices. But I'm glad I got to play on the same team with those guys. I understand now how prepared they are and how hard they work.
He also got very honest about the market in Toronto and how there was a lot of pressure on the guys to succeed.
The pressure is huge. Hockey is broadcast on every radio and TV channel. It's a big club for the city and for the country, so everyone watches and supports the Leafs. A lot of people are positive about you at first, but that can change quickly. It's a daily grind. You might play one good game and one bad game, and the talk about you shifts immediately. You have to be mentally ready for that. It can be tough to adjust, but with hard work and commitment, it gets better.
From there, he moved on to his infamous interviews, and how only in Toronto would they become viral sensations.
If that had happened on an American team, it wouldn't have caused such a stir. But in Toronto, they replayed it on TV for a whole week. A lot of people recognized me on the street and brought it up. It was a bit unusual for me. In Russia, people recognize me because of hockey - over there, it was because of that interview.
While fans will miss Grebenkin, there is no doubt that the forward will now have a better opportunity in Philly.
TRENDING NOW
