The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward prospect Maxim Groshev to a three-year entry-level contract, his agent Dan Milstein announced on Twitter Monday. Tampa Bay selected Groshev in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft with the 85th overall pick. Financial details of the contract have not been reported.
Groshev, 21, has bounced different levels of Russian league play since Tampa drafted him, logging time in the pro (KHL), minor pro (VHL), and junior (MHL) ranks since his draft year. Before Russia was barred from international competition, Groshev represented Russia once at the U18 World Juniors at twice at the U20 tournament, collecting two silver medals.
2022-23 saw Groshev gain his most extensive experience yet in Russia’s top league, scoring six points in 34 games with SKA St. Petersburg. He earned a top-six role in the Russian minors, scoring 18 points in 22 games with the VHL’s SKA-Neva St. Petersburg.
Groshev will likely report to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch next year to take the next steps in his development. While he remains a strong skater with good size and boasts a middle-six ceiling in the NHL, he needs time in the minors to adjust to the Lightning organization and nail down the fundamentals of his game.