Former NHLer Mikhail Grabovski charged following alleged assault of hockey coach

A popular name in the greater Toronto area is in some trouble.

According to The Toronto Star, former NHL forward Mikhail Grabovski is being charged following an incident at a minor hockey game in Markham, Ont., last month.

Court records show that York Regional Police showed up at a Markham community center on March 14 for a reported assault, with the victim being taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Grabovski was coaching a game for the Markham Waxers in an under-15 playoff game, with the team going up against the York-Simcoe Express, with Warren Cooper being listed as the head coach. The court documents allege that Grabovski assaulted Cooper, though reports don’t state what led to the incident.

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association stated that it is aware of the situation, noting that the organization “does not condone this type of behaviour.” The OMHA will not have any further comment while the police investigation is ongoing.

The charge on Grabovski was sworn this past Sunday, with the first court appearance set to take place on June 12 in Newmarket.

This isn’t the first time Grabovski has faced legal action. He allegedly assaulted a couple during a confrontation in downtown Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympics. The veteran was there with Belarus, but he didn’t play due to injury. A civil suit was filed in September 2010 in British Columbia, though the case was dismissed by consent almost eight years before ever reaching trial.

Grabovski played 10 seasons in the NHL, spending time with the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders and most notably with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2008 to 2013. He was a key contributor to the Leafs’ end of their nine-year playoff drought in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign.

In 534 regular-season games in the NHL, he scored 125 goals and 171 assists for 296 points, with two assists in 10 postseason games.