Player's Profile
Picture Courtesy of www.whl.ca
- Name: Michael Grabner
- Position: RW
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 170 lbs
- Birthdate: 1987-10-05
- Eligible for Draft: 2006
- Drafted:
- Hometown: Villach, Austria
- Acquired: 1st round (14th overall), 2006
- Playing In: Pro
Michael Grabner
Prospect Grade: 7.5 C (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff
History
2005-06: Michael Grabner toiled in Spokane last season with a rebuilding club that struggled through a 25-win season. This past season, his second in Spokane, Grabner scored 36 goals and 14 assists in 67 games. Unfortunately, he has yet to play a WHL playoff game. For the most part last season, Grabner played alongside Adam Hobson. The native of Villach, Austria played in all special teams situations as well.
2006-07: Grabner set career highs in goals (39) and assists (16) while playing in the fewest games yet in his WHL career (55). However, it was not all good for the Austrian who was publicly called out by his coach for refusing to compete in more physical games.
2007-08: Grabner’s debut season with the Manitoba Moose was an overall success. He put up 44 points in 74 games and added a few goals in the post-season.
Talent Analysis
Grabner’s game is all speed. One of the faster open-ice skaters in whatever league he’s playing in, he uses his superb speed to find openings and create scoring opportunities. He has the unique ability to stickhandle at top speed as well, which makes him very difficult to stop on breakaways and other situations close to the net. His two-way game needs to evolve considerably before he will be considered a well-rounded player, but with his raw offensive potential, he certainly could be a NHL player despite his shortcomings in the defensive zone. There have been concerns publicly voiced by his junior coach in the past about his willingness to physically compete when the going go tough, but there were few signs of that during his professional rookie season.
Future
He is still a raw talent who needs refining but the potential to score 30 or 35 goals is there. He’s the kind of player, much like a young Alexei Kovalev, who can exhilarate and exasperate in the same shift.
Stats
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Profile Last Updated: August, 10th 2009
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