Michael Grabner
Encyclopedia
Michael René Grabner is an Austria
n professional ice hockey
player playing for the New York Islanders
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). Grabner grew up playing for the local team in Villach, EC VSV. He moved to North America
at the age of 17 and joined the Spokane Chiefs
of the major junior
Western Hockey League
(WHL) to further his hockey career. After his second season with the Chiefs, he was selected 14th overall by the Vancouver Canucks
in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
. Grabner played one more season in the WHL before moving to the American Hockey League
(AHL), where he has played two seasons in the Canucks' farm system. He was traded during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
to the Florida Panthers
, but was claimed by the Islanders after Florida placed him on waivers
with the intention of assigning him to their AHL affiliate.
Grabner is one of three Austrians in the NHL (and the only one who began his playing career in Austria); the others, Thomas Vanek
of the Buffalo Sabres
and Andreas Nödl
of the Philadelphia Flyers
, both played junior and collegiate hockey in the United States.
, Grabner began playing hockey at the age of five. He joined his EC VSV's junior
team, scoring 10 points over 13 games in 2002–03. The following year, he improved to 32 goals and five assists over 23 games, while also debuting with EC VSV's men's team in the Austrian Hockey League
. In the subsequent off-season, he was selected 22nd overall by the Spokane Chiefs
in the Canadian Hockey League
(CHL) Import Draft. Grabner believed that playing major junior in North America would help his goal of making it to the NHL. He had been exposed to Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz through a connection with his head coach in EC VSV, Greg Holst
.
Grabner left Austria to join Spokane for the 2004–05 WHL season, but suffered a broken collarbone in his first exhibition game. He missed approximately a month with the injury and scored his first WHL goal on October 29, 2004, in a 4–2 loss against the Seattle Thunderbirds
. He went on to record 13 goals and 24 points in his rookie campaign.
The following season, he improved to 36 goals and 50 points. Playing in his NHL draft
year, he competed in the CHL Top Prospects Game
and scored a goals and two assists. Shortly thereafter, he notched his first WHL career hat trick
on February 4, 2007, in a 7–5 win against the Tri-City Americans
. Grabner's draft stock went up significantly in the second half of the season, as he scored 22 goals in the final 23 games of 2005–06.
He entered the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
having been ranked 23rd overall among prospects playing in North America by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau
. He was chosen 14th overall by the Vancouver Canucks
. Grabner was admittedly surprised to be chosen in that position of the draft, as he was projected to be a late first-round to early second-round pick. He had been scouted as highly-skilled offensively with his speed and his shot his strengths.
He participated in his first NHL training camp in 2006, before being returned to the Chiefs for the 2006–07 season. Early in his third WHL campaign, he suffered a hip pointer
after receiving a slash. Due to lingering pain from the injury he was in and out of the lineup for several games before being sidelined for a month in November and early-December. In mid-February, he recorded six goals in a span of three games to be named WHL and CHL Player of the Week (February 12–18, 2007). Grabner with 39 goals and 16 assists in 55 games for a point-per-game pace over the course of the season. However, he was criticized by his coach for his lack of physical play.
affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
for their final two games of the regular season and the playoffs. Grabner joined the Moose for his first full professional season in 2007–08
, recording 44 points in 74 games as a rookie.
The following season
, on February 26, 2009, Grabner was recalled by the Canucks to replace Pavol Demitra
who suffered a fractured finger the night before. However, later that day, Grabner was reassigned to Manitoba after Demitra was deemed fit to play. He finished his second season with the Moose improving to 30 goals, tied for the team lead with Jason Krog
, and 48 points in 66 games, helping the Moose to the league's best regular season record. After eliminating the Toronto Marlies
and Grand Rapids Griffins
in the first two rounds of the 2009 playoffs
, Grabner scored the series-clinching goal in the sixth game of the semifinals, a 3–1 win over the Houston Aeros
. Grabner finished with 17 points in 20 games as the Moose finished as Calder Cup
runners-up.
Coming off a successful second AHL season, Grabner was expected to challenge for a roster spot at the Canucks' 2009–10
training camp, but was sent back down to the Moose before the start of the regular season. After a quick start with the Moose, however, scoring four goals in five games, he was called up by the Canucks on October 14, 2009, to replace injured star winger Daniel Sedin
. Grabner then scored his first NHL goal on October 21 on the powerplay against Antti Niemi
in a 3–2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks
. Nine games into his initial stint with the Canucks, however, he injured himself during a pre-game warmup on November 1. Grabner was kicking a soccer ball around with teammates before a game against the Colorado Avalanche
when he rolled over his ankle.
Upon recovering, he returned to the Moose on December 27, 2009, until being recalled on March 17, 2010, following an injury to Canucks forward Mikael Samuelsson
. On April 2, Grabner scored his first NHL career hat trick in a 5–4 shootout win against the Anaheim Ducks
. Remaining with the club for the 2010 playoffs
, Grabner notched his first career NHL post-season goal against Antti Niemi (the same goaltender he scored his first regular season goal against) on May 1, 2010, in the opening game of the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
On June 25, 2010, during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
, Grabner was traded, along with Steve Bernier
and the Canucks first round choice in the draft, the twenty-fifth selection (used to select Quinton Howden
) to the Florida Panthers
for Keith Ballard
and Victor Oreskovich
.
Grabner attended the Panthers training camp, where it was expected he would compete for a position on the team, but failed to do so. On October 3, 2010, it was announced Grabner was placed on waivers
by the Panthers, who intended to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans
. However he was claimed by the New York Islanders
two days later. He played his first game with the Islanders on October 11, 2010 against the New York Rangers
. His first point with the Islanders came on October 13. Grabner's first goal with the Islanders came against Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche
on October 16. In January 2011 Grabner was selected to participate in the 2011 SuperSkills
as one of twelve rookies in the competition, winning the fastest skater competition with times of 14.061 and 14.238. In February Grabner led all rookies in scoring with 10 goals and 16 points. He also had a six game goal scoring streak which was the longest rookie streak since the 2006–07 season when Evgeni Malkin
also scored in six straight. For his efforts Grabner was named rookie of the month. He finished his rookie year with 34 goals and 52 points, his goal total led all rookies, as well as the Islanders. Ranking third in points by a rookie Grabner earned a Calder Memorial Trophy
nomination for NHL rookie of the year. Following his successful rookie year the Islanders signed Grabner to a five-year $15 million contract extension on May 13, 2011.
in Minsk
, Belarus
. Underaged for the tournament at sixteen-years-old, he scored three goals and an assist in five games. The following year, he competed for Austria in Division I of the 2005 World Junior Championships, held in Great Britain
. He recorded three points in four games as Austria finished third in Group A. Several months later, he was named to his second under-18 team for the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships
, where Austria again competed in Division I play. Grabner tied for second in team-scoring with four goals and an assists over five games. Austria finished in fifth place out of six teams in Group A, coming within a loss of being relegated to Division II for the next year. He joined Austria in their qualifying tournament for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in early 2009 and led the four team tournament in scoring with five goals; Austria finished second to Germany
and failed to qualify for the Olympics.
, Grabner kept his fans and followers updated through several tweets while Heather was in labor.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player playing for the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Grabner grew up playing for the local team in Villach, EC VSV. He moved to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
at the age of 17 and joined the Spokane Chiefs
Spokane Chiefs
The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the...
of the major junior
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) to further his hockey career. After his second season with the Chiefs, he was selected 14th overall by the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
. Grabner played one more season in the WHL before moving to the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), where he has played two seasons in the Canucks' farm system. He was traded during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
to the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
, but was claimed by the Islanders after Florida placed him on waivers
Waivers (NHL)
Waivers is a National Hockey League labor management procedure by which an NHL team makes a professional ice hockey player’s contract and rights available to all other NHL teams. The term refers to the term that other NHL teams 'waive' any claim to a player designated for assignment, re-entry from...
with the intention of assigning him to their AHL affiliate.
Grabner is one of three Austrians in the NHL (and the only one who began his playing career in Austria); the others, Thomas Vanek
Thomas Vanek
Thomas Vanek is an Austrian professional ice hockey left winger, an alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League...
of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
and Andreas Nödl
Andreas Nödl
Andreas Nödl is an Austrian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
of the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, both played junior and collegiate hockey in the United States.
Early career
Born in VillachVillach
Villach is the second largest city in the Carinthia state in the southern Austria, at the Drava River and represents an important traffic junction for Austria and the whole Alpe-Adria region. , the population is 58,480.-History:...
, Grabner began playing hockey at the age of five. He joined his EC VSV's junior
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
team, scoring 10 points over 13 games in 2002–03. The following year, he improved to 32 goals and five assists over 23 games, while also debuting with EC VSV's men's team in the Austrian Hockey League
Austrian Hockey League
The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:...
. In the subsequent off-season, he was selected 22nd overall by the Spokane Chiefs
Spokane Chiefs
The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the...
in the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
(CHL) Import Draft. Grabner believed that playing major junior in North America would help his goal of making it to the NHL. He had been exposed to Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz through a connection with his head coach in EC VSV, Greg Holst
Greg Holst
Gregory Holst was a professional ice hockey player who played eleven games in the National Hockey League. He played with the New York Rangers. After some years with the New York Rangers and also the AHL team of New Haven, he went to Europe by the end of the 1970s. Holst was active in the highest...
.
Grabner left Austria to join Spokane for the 2004–05 WHL season, but suffered a broken collarbone in his first exhibition game. He missed approximately a month with the injury and scored his first WHL goal on October 29, 2004, in a 4–2 loss against the Seattle Thunderbirds
Seattle Thunderbirds
The Seattle Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team based in Kent, a suburb of Seattle, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, and play in the ShoWare Center...
. He went on to record 13 goals and 24 points in his rookie campaign.
The following season, he improved to 36 goals and 50 points. Playing in his NHL draft
NHL Entry Draft
The NHL Entry Draft is an annual meeting in which every franchise of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur ice hockey players who meet draft eligibility requirements...
year, he competed in the CHL Top Prospects Game
CHL Top Prospects Game
The CHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event in which forty of the top draft eligible prospects in the Canadian Hockey League play against each other, each hoping to boost their draft ranking with the National Hockey League scouts and general managers who attend.The players are typically coached...
and scored a goals and two assists. Shortly thereafter, he notched his first WHL career hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
on February 4, 2007, in a 7–5 win against the Tri-City Americans
Tri-City Americans
The Tri-City Americans are a major junior ice hockey team of the Western Hockey League, based in Kennewick, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center...
. Grabner's draft stock went up significantly in the second half of the season, as he scored 22 goals in the final 23 games of 2005–06.
He entered the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
having been ranked 23rd overall among prospects playing in North America by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau
NHL Central Scouting Bureau
The NHL Central Scouting Bureau or NHL Central Scouting Services is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the professional game in the...
. He was chosen 14th overall by the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
. Grabner was admittedly surprised to be chosen in that position of the draft, as he was projected to be a late first-round to early second-round pick. He had been scouted as highly-skilled offensively with his speed and his shot his strengths.
He participated in his first NHL training camp in 2006, before being returned to the Chiefs for the 2006–07 season. Early in his third WHL campaign, he suffered a hip pointer
Hip pointer
A hip pointer is a contusion on the pelvis caused by a direct blow to an iliac crest or hip bone. Contact sports are a frequent cause of this type of injury. The pain involved is due to the cluneal nerve that runs right along the Iliac Crest....
after receiving a slash. Due to lingering pain from the injury he was in and out of the lineup for several games before being sidelined for a month in November and early-December. In mid-February, he recorded six goals in a span of three games to be named WHL and CHL Player of the Week (February 12–18, 2007). Grabner with 39 goals and 16 assists in 55 games for a point-per-game pace over the course of the season. However, he was criticized by his coach for his lack of physical play.
Professional career
After the Chiefs were eliminated from the 2007 WHL playoffs, Grabner joined the Canucks' American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
for their final two games of the regular season and the playoffs. Grabner joined the Moose for his first full professional season in 2007–08
2007–08 AHL season
The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:...
, recording 44 points in 74 games as a rookie.
The following season
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...
, on February 26, 2009, Grabner was recalled by the Canucks to replace Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra was a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League , two in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League /Slovak Extraliga and one in the Kontinental Hockey League . Known as an offensive player, Demitra was a first- or second-line...
who suffered a fractured finger the night before. However, later that day, Grabner was reassigned to Manitoba after Demitra was deemed fit to play. He finished his second season with the Moose improving to 30 goals, tied for the team lead with Jason Krog
Jason Krog
Jason Krog is a professional ice hockey centre currently contracted by HV71 in the Swedish elite league Elitserien .-Playing career:...
, and 48 points in 66 games, helping the Moose to the league's best regular season record. After eliminating the Toronto Marlies
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies is a Canadian professional ice hockey team currently playing in the American Hockey League . The top affiliate of the National Hockey League 's Toronto Maple Leafs, the Marlies play at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario...
and Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
in the first two rounds of the 2009 playoffs
2009 Calder Cup Playoffs
The 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 15, 2009. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for division semifinals, finals and conference finals. The conference champions then played a best-of-seven series for the...
, Grabner scored the series-clinching goal in the sixth game of the semifinals, a 3–1 win over the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
. Grabner finished with 17 points in 20 games as the Moose finished as Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
runners-up.
Coming off a successful second AHL season, Grabner was expected to challenge for a roster spot at the Canucks' 2009–10
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
training camp, but was sent back down to the Moose before the start of the regular season. After a quick start with the Moose, however, scoring four goals in five games, he was called up by the Canucks on October 14, 2009, to replace injured star winger Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...
. Grabner then scored his first NHL goal on October 21 on the powerplay against Antti Niemi
Antti Niemi (ice hockey)
Antti Niemi is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing with the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. During the 2009–10 NHL season as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, he became the first Finnish goaltender to win the Stanley Cup.-Playing career:Niemi...
in a 3–2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. Nine games into his initial stint with the Canucks, however, he injured himself during a pre-game warmup on November 1. Grabner was kicking a soccer ball around with teammates before a game against the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
when he rolled over his ankle.
Upon recovering, he returned to the Moose on December 27, 2009, until being recalled on March 17, 2010, following an injury to Canucks forward Mikael Samuelsson
Mikael Samuelsson
Mikael Samuelsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ....
. On April 2, Grabner scored his first NHL career hat trick in a 5–4 shootout win against the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Remaining with the club for the 2010 playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
, Grabner notched his first career NHL post-season goal against Antti Niemi (the same goaltender he scored his first regular season goal against) on May 1, 2010, in the opening game of the second round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
On June 25, 2010, during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft
2010 NHL Entry Draft
The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial record of 11 American-trained players were selected in...
, Grabner was traded, along with Steve Bernier
Steve Bernier
Steve Bernier is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger with the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League...
and the Canucks first round choice in the draft, the twenty-fifth selection (used to select Quinton Howden
Quinton Howden
Quinton Howden is a Canadian junior ice hockey player who currently plays for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League...
) to the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
for Keith Ballard
Keith Ballard
Keith Ballard is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently a member of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He played college hockey for the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for three seasons...
and Victor Oreskovich
Victor Oreskovich
Victor J. Oreskovich is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League within the Vancouver Canucks organization of the National Hockey League...
.
Grabner attended the Panthers training camp, where it was expected he would compete for a position on the team, but failed to do so. On October 3, 2010, it was announced Grabner was placed on waivers
Waivers (NHL)
Waivers is a National Hockey League labor management procedure by which an NHL team makes a professional ice hockey player’s contract and rights available to all other NHL teams. The term refers to the term that other NHL teams 'waive' any claim to a player designated for assignment, re-entry from...
by the Panthers, who intended to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
. However he was claimed by the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
two days later. He played his first game with the Islanders on October 11, 2010 against the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. His first point with the Islanders came on October 13. Grabner's first goal with the Islanders came against Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
on October 16. In January 2011 Grabner was selected to participate in the 2011 SuperSkills
NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition
The NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition, originally known as the National Hockey League All-Star Skills Competition, is an event on the night preceding the All-Star Game. Started at the 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game in Pittsburgh in 1990, the NHL uses the event to showcase the...
as one of twelve rookies in the competition, winning the fastest skater competition with times of 14.061 and 14.238. In February Grabner led all rookies in scoring with 10 goals and 16 points. He also had a six game goal scoring streak which was the longest rookie streak since the 2006–07 season when Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni "Geno" Vladimirovich Malkin is a Russian professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League ....
also scored in six straight. For his efforts Grabner was named rookie of the month. He finished his rookie year with 34 goals and 52 points, his goal total led all rookies, as well as the Islanders. Ranking third in points by a rookie Grabner earned a Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
nomination for NHL rookie of the year. Following his successful rookie year the Islanders signed Grabner to a five-year $15 million contract extension on May 13, 2011.
International play
Grabner made his international debut with Austria in Division I play of the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships2004 IIHF World U18 Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:...
in Minsk
Minsk
- Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. Underaged for the tournament at sixteen-years-old, he scored three goals and an assist in five games. The following year, he competed for Austria in Division I of the 2005 World Junior Championships, held in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He recorded three points in four games as Austria finished third in Group A. Several months later, he was named to his second under-18 team for the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships
2005 IIHF World U18 Championships
-Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:- Group A in Maribor, Slovenia :-Group B in Sosnowiec, Poland :...
, where Austria again competed in Division I play. Grabner tied for second in team-scoring with four goals and an assists over five games. Austria finished in fifth place out of six teams in Group A, coming within a loss of being relegated to Division II for the next year. He joined Austria in their qualifying tournament for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in early 2009 and led the four team tournament in scoring with five goals; Austria finished second to Germany
Germany men's national ice hockey team
The German men's national ice hockey team first participated in serious international competition at the 1911 European Hockey Championship. When Germany was split after World War II, a separate East German national ice hockey team existed until 1990...
and failed to qualify for the Olympics.
Personal Life
On March 31, 2011, Grabner and his girlfriend Heather, whom he met while playing in Spokane, welcomed their first child, a son named Aidan. Through TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, Grabner kept his fans and followers updated through several tweets while Heather was in labor.
Awards
- Rookie of the Month, February 2011
- Fastest Skater, NHL All-Star Game 2011 SuperSkills Competition
- Named as a 2011 finalist for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.
- NHL All-Rookie TeamNHL All-Rookie TeamThe NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
– 2011
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2002–03 | VSV EC | Aut U20 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | VSV EC | Aut U20 | 23 | 32 | 5 | 37 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | VSV EC VSV EC EC Villacher SV are an ice hockey team in the Erste Bank Hockey League. They play their home games at Stadthalle in Villach, Austria. In Season 2010/11, the club is officially playing as EC Rekord-Fenster VSV.-Honours:*Austrian Championships:... |
Aut Austrian Hockey League The Austrian Hockey League , called the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Austria.-History:... |
14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Spokane Chiefs Spokane Chiefs The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
58 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | 67 | 36 | 14 | 50 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Spokane Chiefs | WHL | 55 | 39 | 16 | 55 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Manitoba Moose Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Manitoba Moose | AHL | 74 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Manitoba Moose | AHL | 66 | 30 | 18 | 48 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Manitoba Moose | AHL | 38 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
20 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 76 | 34 | 18 | 52 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| WHL totals | 180 | 88 | 41 | 129 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| AHL totals | 180 | 68 | 52 | 120 | 34 | 32 | 13 | 7 | 20 | 4 | ||||
| NHL totals | 96 | 39 | 24 | 63 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships -Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:... |
Austria | U18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... Div I |
5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2005 | Austria | WJC Div I | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2005 2005 IIHF World U18 Championships -Final standings: and are relegated to Division I for the 2006 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:- Group A in Maribor, Slovenia :-Group B in Sosnowiec, Poland :... |
Austria | U18 Div I | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 29 | |
| Junior totals | 13 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 35 | |||