Veteran winger Michael Grabner is one of the many names insiders are still keeping an eye on as unrestricted free agents come off the free agency board with a bit more regularity this week. But, fans and teams will have to wait a bit longer to see what the forward’s future holds. The long-time NHL vet has made an interesting decision.
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Grabner was bought out back in October, and while it was originally thought he’d make a decision on where he might play next closer to training camps, Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports that Grabner will wait until the NHL season gets under way. H has spoken with a few teams, but will elect to see how the season unfolds and whether or not he wants to come back to play at all.
Grabner, 33, is coming off a tough season in Arizona. He posted only eight goals and three assists in 46 games, which represented his second poor season in a row. In 2018-19, he posted only nien goals and 16 points. That said, this is a player who is only two seasons removed from back-to-back 25-goal campaigns. Has he slowed that much? Or, was it a matter of just being part of the Coyotes organization?
That he’s not sure he’ll return might indicated his best days are well behind him. Grabner did produce a bit in the NHL bubble, scoring three goals in nine playoff games, but his contract was still bought out.
Is There A Team That Could Use Him?
Grabner is probably not the same player he was two seasons ago. But, on a short-term, low-cost deal, he could still provide some depth for a team. He can skate and is an excellent penalty killer.
The question is, who could use that kind of player? Is there a team looking for an older vet who can kill penalties and potentially pot a few goals? And, if he does, could that team use a player they could potentially flip at the deadline?
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