Michael Grabner

Lore & Background

Grabner began playing hockey at age five in Villach, Austria, and played in the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He joined EC VSV's junior team, scoring 10 points in 13 games in 2002–03, then improved to 32 goals and five assists in 23 games the following year while also debuting with the men's team in the Austrian Hockey League. Selected 22nd overall by the Spokane Chiefs in the CHL Import Draft, he moved to North America at age 17 to pursue his NHL goal. After a broken collarbone in his first exhibition game, he scored his first WHL goal on 29 October 2004 and finished his rookie season with 13 goals and 24 points. In his draft year, he improved to 36 goals and 50 points, competed in the CHL Top Prospects Game, and scored his first WHL hat trick on 4 February 2007. He was selected 14th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2006, surprising even himself, as he was projected as a late first-round to early second-round pick. After one more WHL season, he joined the Manitoba Moose in the AHL, recording 44 points as a rookie in 2007–08. He made his NHL debut with the Canucks in 2009–10, scoring his first NHL goal on 21 October against Antti Niemi, and later notched his first NHL hat trick on 2 April 2010. Traded to the Florida Panthers during the 2010 draft, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders, where he had a standout rookie season with 34 goals and 52 points, earning a Calder Memorial Trophy nomination. He signed a five-year, $15 million contract extension with the Islanders in May 2011. In 2013, he was suspended two games for an illegal check to the head of Nathan Gerbe. On 27 February 2014, he scored two shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill in a 5–4 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, becoming the first player to do so on a standard two-minute penalty since Ryan O'Reilly's feat in 2010. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on 17 September 2015 in a multi-player deal and was named alternate captain.

Reader's Guide

Michael Grabner's career is defined by his remarkable speed and his impact as a rookie goal-scorer for the New York Islanders. His 34 goals in the 2010–11 season led all NHL rookies and earned him a Calder Memorial Trophy nomination, establishing him as a dynamic offensive threat. His speed was formally recognized when he won the fastest skater competition at the 2011 NHL SuperSkills. Grabner's journey from Austria to the NHL via the WHL and AHL highlights the path for European prospects seeking to develop in North America. His tenure with the Islanders included a rare achievement: scoring two shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill in February 2014, a feat that underscored his ability to change a game in an instant. Despite being traded multiple times—from the Canucks to the Panthers (via draft-day trade) and then claimed off waivers by the Islanders—Grabner consistently contributed as a goal-scorer. His later trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015, where he was named alternate captain, reflected his leadership qualities. Internationally, Grabner represented Austria at junior and senior tournaments, including the 2014 Winter Olympics, further cementing his legacy as one of Austria's most accomplished hockey exports.

Did You Know?

• Grabner scored his first NHL goal on 21 October 2009 against Antti Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks.
• He scored two shorthanded goals on the same penalty kill on 27 February 2014, a feat last accomplished on a standard two-minute penalty by Ryan O'Reilly in 2010.
• He was selected 14th overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft by the Vancouver Canucks, despite being projected as a late first-round to early second-round pick.