This solidly built power forward in the making is not your conventional Russian prospect as he is solid in not only the offensive zone but also his own. He will still get his paycheck from what he contributes in the oppositions end with his size, strength and offensive abilities. Grachev has soft hands, handles the puck well in traffic and utilizes his long reach. He has a decent shot that is very accurate and can also play the role of playmaker as well. He has decent speed once he gets going and is hard to handle for defenders. Also bucking the normal trend of the Russian prospect is his willingness to play physical when the opportunity presents itself. (May 2008)