<p>One of the worst-kept secrets in major junior hockey has now become official. The Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League have acquired the junior rights to Calgary Flames prospect Matvei Gridin in a trade with the Val-d&#8217;Or Foreurs.</p>
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<p lang="ro" dir="ltr">Matvei Gridin s’amène à Shawinigan ⚡️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JeSuisCataractes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JeSuisCataractes</a> <a href="https://t.co/2urcICDeNJ">pic.twitter.com/2urcICDeNJ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Cataractes de Shawinigan (@Cataractes_Shaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cataractes_Shaw/status/1837116715190141267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>The Cataractes officially acquired Gridin&#8217;s rights this morning in exchange for Russian import forward Eduard Bondar and a third-round selection in the 2026 QMJHL Draft. Gridin&#8217;s move to Shawinigan had been rumoured for months.</p>
<p>The 18-year-old Gridin was selected by the Flames in the first round, 28th overall, in June&#8217;s NHL Draft, after leading the United States Hockey League in points in the 2023-24 season. He originally came over to North America two years ago and spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with the USHL&#8217;s Muskegon Lumberjacks.</p>
<p>He was initially committed to play college hockey at the University of Michigan, but between some chatter about academic eligibility and him signing his entry-level deal with the Flames in July, that never came to pass. He was selected by Val-d&#8217;Or in the CHL&#8217;s annual Import Draft in July, but hadn&#8217;t come to terms with that club on his QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreement and didn&#8217;t take part in the club&#8217;s training camp as a result. Presuming he signs with Shawinigan, Gridin would join Czech forward Jiri Klima as the club&#8217;s two imports.</p>
<p>Gridin is currently with the Flames in their training camp. Our understanding right now is that once Gridin (a) signs his QMJHL agreement and (b) is assigned by the Flames to his junior club, he would be locked into the QMJHL as his developmental path until he becomes eligible for the American Hockey League in his 20-year-old season (2026-27). The likely hope is that Gridin can maintain his offensive swagger and high scoring numbers in the QMJHL while rounding out his game away from the puck a little bit.</p>
<p>The Cataractes begin their 2024-25 season tonight against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The Flames begin their pre-season on Sunday on the road against the Seattle Kraken.</p>


One of the worst-kept secrets in major junior hockey has now become official. The Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League have acquired the junior rights to Calgary Flames prospect Matvei Gridin in a trade with the Val-d'Or Foreurs.
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https://twitter.com/Cataractes_Shaw/status/1837116715190141267

The Cataractes officially acquired Gridin's rights this morning in exchange for Russian import forward Eduard Bondar and a third-round selection in the 2026 QMJHL Draft. Gridin's move to Shawinigan had been rumoured for months.

The 18-year-old Gridin was selected by the Flames in the first round, 28th overall, in June's NHL Draft, after leading the United States Hockey League in points in the 2023-24 season. He originally came over to North America two years ago and spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks.

He was initially committed to play college hockey at the University of Michigan, but between some chatter about academic eligibility and him signing his entry-level deal with the Flames in July, that never came to pass. He was selected by Val-d'Or in the CHL's annual Import Draft in July, but hadn't come to terms with that club on his QMJHL Scholarship and Development Agreement and didn't take part in the club's training camp as a result. Presuming he signs with Shawinigan, Gridin would join Czech forward Jiri Klima as the club's two imports.

Gridin is currently with the Flames in their training camp. Our understanding right now is that once Gridin (a) signs his QMJHL agreement and (b) is assigned by the Flames to his junior club, he would be locked into the QMJHL as his developmental path until he becomes eligible for the American Hockey League in his 20-year-old season (2026-27). The likely hope is that Gridin can maintain his offensive swagger and high scoring numbers in the QMJHL while rounding out his game away from the puck a little bit.

The Cataractes begin their 2024-25 season tonight against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. The Flames begin their pre-season on Sunday on the road against the Seattle Kraken.

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