Grabner Expected to Score, Enhance Arizona's PK

GLENDALE -New Coyotes forward Michael Grabner gets a charge out of killing penalties. And if he can score a short-handed goal while he's on the PK - which he's done 15 times in his nine-year NHL career - that's an added bonus.
"It's not the main goal when I go out there," Grabner said regarding netting shorties. "It's fun to go out there and try to kind of frustrate the top guys on the other team and change the momentum of the game. With all of the penalties these days, a big thing to win hockey games is (successful) special teams … It's just a challenge. I take a lot of pride in the penalty kill."

Coyotes center Derek Stepan, who played with Grabner with the New York Rangers, considers Grabner one of, if not the, best penalty killers in the NHL. His quickness and anticipation skills, Stepan said, are keys to Grabner's success.
"He's able to do the right things without the puck and make sure he doesn't get scored on, and also add an element where he's a threat when he's on the ice short-handed," Stepan said. "He's able to read passes, pick those off and then use his speed to go the other way quickly."

Arizona signed Grabner, 31, to a three-year contract on July 1. He's expected to bring his speed and goal-scoring touch to the lineup, whether it's on the penalty kill or at even strength.
"The last couple years he has been top-10 in the entire NHL in even-strength goals," General Manager John Chayka noted. "He's done that without playing the most minutes or without playing the easiest minutes."
Grabner notched 27 goals in each of the past two seasons and his plus/minus ratings those years were +22 (in 2016-17) and +11 (in 2017-18). He will enter this season needing just one point to reach 250 for his NHL career, which began in 2009-10 after Vancouver drafted him 14th overall in 2006. At the time, he was just the second player from Austria drafted in the first round, three years after Thomas Vanek.
Playing for the New York Islanders in 2010-11, his first full season in the NHL, Grabner produced a career-high 34 goals and 52 points and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy. He also won the fastest skater award during the skills competition at the NHL All-Star Weekend that season.

Coyotes Assistant Coach Scott Allen was an assistant with the Islanders at the same time and has watched Grabner evolve.
"His speed is his biggest weapon," Allen said. "He also has a good stick, and understands systems and the importance of details and playing with structure."
Grabner wasted little time signing with the Coyotes once he became an unrestricted free agent this summer. He likes the direction in which the team is heading.
"I think they have a good, solid core here and I'm just going to try to complement them as much as I can," Grabner said. "Hopefully I can come in and just help them out a little bit. I've played against them and they are a hard team to play against. They are a quick group here so the faster we can get the puck and get moving the other way, I think that's going to be an advantage for us. I'm just hoping to fit in as I did in New York, using my speed."

The Coyotes are Grabner's sixth NHL team. Thus, being the new guy is nothing for him and, unlike the first time he was traded, when he sat quietly among his new teammates for months, Grabner immediately made himself known to his Arizona teammates before training camp even began.
"In hockey locker rooms you get accepted pretty quick and easy," Grabner said. "I've been here a couple weeks now and it seems like a great group of guys here. We've had a lot of fun so far. We're going to try to carry it over into the season."

Grabner is outgoing with fans, too. That's why he tweets every couple of days when the mood to do so strikes him. Some of his recent tweet topics included Tiger Woods, Eminem, tattoos and Coyotes Fan Fest. Fans can follow him at the Twitter handle

.
"It's just a great tool for athletes to let the fans see your personality and what you do off the ice," Grabner said.
Tweet from @grabs40: Going to Phoenix 😉