Grabner's a one trick pony. He's fast, but isn't a finisher, has mediocre hockey sense, not great in the defensive zone.
A very dangerous one trick pony though. As long as he has those legs, which I'm assuming will be throughout his 20's, he will be able to get golden opportunities in every game. He improves his hands? Forget about it, he'd net so many goals. If he could learn how to dek or snipe on those breakaways then he has 40 goal potential. Not having cold starts would help, too.
A very dangerous one trick pony though. As long as he has those legs, which I'm assuming will be throughout his 20's, he will be able to get golden opportunities in every game. He improves his hands? Forget about it, he'd net so many goals. If he could learn how to dek or snipe on those breakaways then he has 40 goal potential. Not having cold starts would help, too.
While I agree with you, if it was so easy for him to improve his hands he would have done it by now. He's 24 right now, he's had quite a bit of time to improve his hands in NHL and AHL systems. I think he's pretty much what you see is what you get. I think 44 games isn't a "cold start". Defenses have had time to look over his game and adapt.
Not trying to knock the guy, I like him on the team, but realistically I think he's a good addition to the 3rd line...but that's about it.
A very dangerous one trick pony though. As long as he has those legs, which I'm assuming will be throughout his 20's, he will be able to get golden opportunities in every game. He improves his hands? Forget about it, he'd net so many goals. If he could learn how to dek or snipe on those breakaways then he has 40 goal potential. Not having cold starts would help, too.
I think grabs will benefit from the playing time in the nhl. I think he will improve in many areas, hopefully become a more complete playmaking winger. While he has been playing weak, I can always see the danger he brings to the ice, including his passing, stick checking etc etc.
He will be better!
ps very few 3rd liners ever put up the kinda numbers grabs has and can put up.
Grabner was voted Austria's Hockey player of the year 2012 by the magazine "Powerplay". 10 experts voted. Grabs was first with 6 votes ahead of Van the Man from the sabres.
I think grabs will benefit from the playing time in the nhl. I think he will improve in many areas, hopefully become a more complete playmaking winger. While he has been playing weak, I can always see the danger he brings to the ice, including his passing, stick checking etc etc.
He will be better!
ps very few 3rd liners ever put up the kinda numbers grabs has and can put up.
He's on pace now for 32 points. He has not gotten better. Yes those are 3rd line numbers.
Grabner's a nice 3rd liner-and I like him on the team. But quite frankly he's not good enough to play top-6 minutes. He's a one-trick pony and now that he's played in 61 games that's no longer a "slump".
He's on pace now for 32 points. He has not gotten better. Yes those are 3rd line numbers.
Grabner's a nice 3rd liner-and I like him on the team. But quite frankly he's not good enough to play top-6 minutes. He's a one-trick pony and now that he's played in 61 games that's no longer a "slump".
edit: and his overall game hasn't improved.
right now i am agreeing with you. in january i still had hopes he would salvage this season. He has since also lost his 1st pk position and any hope of getting time on the 2nd pp unit. perhaps the time to trade him would have been last year. cant wait to see whether a) pa is resigned and b) we will see the grabs story repeated. perhaps we can still trade pa after resigning him...
right now i am agreeing with you. in january i still had hopes he would salvage this season. He has since also lost his 1st pk position and any hope of getting time on the 2nd pp unit. perhaps the time to trade him would have been last year. cant wait to see whether a) pa is resigned and b) we will see the grabs story repeated. perhaps we can still trade pa after resigning him...
Fair enough. I actually think he's a good 3rd liner (and I didn't mind him being on the 1st PK unit).
Be patient. It's his second full year in the NHL and he has had an injury too this year. He is on pace for 24 goals which is fine considering that the secobd year in the NHL is the learning year.
Besides playing on the shutdown line doesn't help his production either.
He needs another offseason to work on his game. I still think we gonna see a few 40 goals seasons out of him.
I'm not to worried, sooner or later he will find his scoring game again.....
Be patient. It's his second full year in the NHL and he has had an injury too this year. He is on pace for 24 goals which is fine considering that the secobd year in the NHL is the learning year.
Actually, he's on pace for 19, maybe 20 goals. Dunno if we should think of it like that though, since he's only scored one in the last 18 games.
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Besides playing on the shutdown line doesn't help his production either.
He plays on the second line. It is expected to score. His usual center and RW are 5th and 6th on the team in scoring.
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He needs another offseason to work on his game. I still think we gonna see a few 40 goals seasons out of him.
I'm not to worried, sooner or later he will find his scoring game again.....
Then you are more hopeful than most.
Grabner has done little with the speed he has this year and cannot fulfill any other role at this level other than maybe a bit of PKing.
He's one of the most incomplete players I've seen at the NHL level. He plays like a glass man and lacks effectiveness in all three zones, with or without the puck. When he's not scoring, then the Pandolfos and Reasoners of the world are more valuable than he is - and he's uhhhh currently not scoring.
Basically, he's not earning that 3 million per to miss 94% of his breakaways, which the only time he's of any danger anyways.
FWIW, I think last nights game was a test for Grabner and KO. I would give Grabner a C+ and KO an F. After being moved down, I liked what I saw from Grabner tonight... he hustled and tried to create and join the play instead of just becoming a bystander. It wasent an amazing game by him, but I think it showed he cared.
KO on the other hand played worse, and was pretty lazy most of the night. The penalty he took while we were on the power play was from pure lazyness and lack of hustle.
Grabner has done little with the speed he has this year and cannot fulfill any other role at this level other than maybe a bit of PKing.
He's one of the most incomplete players I've seen at the NHL level. He plays like a glass man and lacks effectiveness in all three zones, with or without the puck. When he's not scoring, then the Pandolfos and Reasoners of the world are more valuable than he is - and he's uhhhh currently not scoring.
Basically, he's not earning that 3 million per to miss 94% of his breakaways, which the only time he's of any danger anyways.
Why dont you buy a voodoo doll of grabs and poke away at it instead of constantly doing it here? This isnt really like you either...
I am defending him here, even though he is objectively playing bad, because you (and many others) arent viewing him objectively either. He is very good at many things, and shockingly bad at others...but he isnt as 1 dimensional as you have apparently made him up to be in your mind. Please try and think of me the next time you let off a load in his direction, cause it has been bothering me how you have been going at him.
Why dont you buy a voodoo doll of grabs and poke away at it instead of constantly doing it here? This isnt really like you either...
I am defending him here, even though he is objectively playing bad, because you (and many others) arent viewing him objectively either. He is very good at many things, and shockingly bad at others...but he isnt as 1 dimensional as you have apparently made him up to be in your mind. Please try and think of me the next time you let off a load in his direction, cause it has been bothering me how you have been going at him.
Cheers
Just purchased the voodoo doll this morning.
I'll be poking it every time he misses on a breakaway or fails to accept and control a simple pass.
Sorry to disappoint you with my analysis. Everybody at this level does a few things well and I have liked a bit of what I've seen in recent games, but his entire style of play is not one I like (as an oldschooler) and have little interest in continuing to watch if he doesn't get some more grease and moxy in his game. He needs to start feeling more responsible in all three zones.
I know Austria doesn't have too many NHLers (nor does Germany for that matter) and that a person from that country naturally wants to root for him to succeed.
FWIW, I think last nights game was a test for Grabner and KO. I would give Grabner a C+ and KO an F. After being moved down, I liked what I saw from Grabner tonight... he hustled and tried to create and join the play instead of just becoming a bystander. It wasent an amazing game by him, but I think it showed he cared.
KO on the other hand played worse, and was pretty lazy most of the night. The penalty he took while we were on the power play was from pure lazyness and lack of hustle.
KO is playing like he'd rather be doing anything else but playing hockey. For all the emphasis this organization places on character, this to me is very disturbing. If he doesn't want to be here, send him packing. I'm sure he'd be thilled about playing back in Minnesota.
Too easy to say that Grabner sucks.......which he has this year.
we will have to wait until next year to see what he will be.
Sophomore slump, injured groin, linemates, the contract??
Cappy has told him he needs to do more than just wait from breakaways, he needs to work to open ice in the offensive zone and get some chances. As good a skater as he is, with a pretty good release on his shot, that is absolutely right.
I don't think you will find anyone more disappointed in his season. Grabner is victim to a "sophomore slump" in some ways, his injury mid season messed him up, and I think with his obvious numbers from last season, he is a marked man.
I also think he in his head somewhat because the chances are there, he is not burying them. Lots of posts and many great saves.
I'll be poking it every time he misses on a breakaway or fails to accept and control a simple pass.
Sorry to disappoint you with my analysis. Everybody at this level does a few things well and I have liked a bit of what I've seen in recent games, but his entire style of play is not one I like (as an oldschooler) and have little interest in continuing to watch if he doesn't get some more grease and moxy in his game. He needs to start feeling more responsible in all three zones.
I know Austria doesn't have too many NHLers (nor does Germany for that matter) and that a person from that country naturally wants to root for him to succeed.
Thanks for the kind words And I am afraid you are 100% correct that I have a personal affinity to grabs cause he is austrian. Even though that may be silly, I do often defend him cause of that. I was just a little surprised cause you seemed to appreciate his game a lot last year (perhaps i am wrong?).
Hope you dont go through the voodoo dolls too quickly
He's got 100 less shots than last year in 13 less games. To me, he's more likely to hover in the 25 goal range range vs. 35-40 range. He's still a flawed player, but really he's going on his second full season in the NHL. Plenty to improve on.
FWIW, I think last nights game was a test for Grabner and KO. I would give Grabner a C+ and KO an F. After being moved down, I liked what I saw from Grabner tonight... he hustled and tried to create and join the play instead of just becoming a bystander. It wasent an amazing game by him, but I think it showed he cared.
KO on the other hand played worse, and was pretty lazy most of the night. The penalty he took while we were on the power play was from pure lazyness and lack of hustle.
How can you possibly can KO a worse grade than Grabner? Okposo actually scored, when was the last time Grabner scored? I see Chapin mention Grabner has one in 18 games. That's pathetic. Grabner pulls up any chance he gets to avoid an physical play. I don't see the hustle you saw. In fact, I saw more hustle out of Okposo than Grabner. That penalty also happened when he was coming back to help out on D, when was the last time we saw Grabner backcheck hard?
I'd advocate trading them if you're getting some good value back but right now there value is really low, better off keeping them. We have seen guys like Turris, Penner and Kaberle (most recent examples) of getting back great value based on potential and what they have done in the past so I wouldn't rule out not getting that value but I think we see them around for a while.
How can you possibly can KO a worse grade than Grabner? Okposo actually scored, when was the last time Grabner scored? I see Chapin mention Grabner has one in 18 games. That's pathetic. Grabner pulls up any chance he gets to avoid an physical play. I don't see the hustle you saw. In fact, I saw more hustle out of Okposo than Grabner. That penalty also happened when he was coming back to help out on D, when was the last time we saw Grabner backcheck hard?
I'd advocate trading them if you're getting some good value back but right now there value is really low, better off keeping them. We have seen guys like Turris, Penner and Kaberle (most recent examples) of getting back great value based on potential and what they have done in the past so I wouldn't rule out not getting that value but I think we see them around for a while.
dude, calm down. We are talking bout the washington game.
I just realised that bailey was voted player of the game yesterday. Talk about over-valuing goals: he scored 2 and was still -1 for the night. 3 goals against!!!! ...when cisikas is +1 and had his first 2 helpers of the game.
And I am afraid you are 100% correct that I have a personal affinity to grabs cause he is austrian. Even though that may be silly, I do often defend him cause of that. I was just a little surprised cause you seemed to appreciate his game a lot last year (perhaps i am wrong?).
