INKED Exclusive: Michael Grabner

A Ranger by way of Austria is grabbing life by the puck!

Photos by Gavin Thomas

Collage/ Mixed Media Background by Montross Zero

Last season, following a disappointing stint in Toronto, NHL journeyman Michael Grabner signed with the New York Rangers. In his first year, he was second on the team in scoring with 27 goals, tripling his production from the year before. A quarter of the way into his second season, he’s got 13 and is the Rangers’ premier goal scorer. Grabner is excited to be back in the New York area and considers it a sort of home away from home, saying “I had a good time in New York, for five years. I know the area. My family likes it here. It’s been great to be back.”

This turn of fortune hasn’t been without incident, however. While most of Grabner’s NHL career has been spent in New York, the majority of it was spent playing for the Islanders. For the uninitiated, the Rangers and Islanders rivalry is one that stretches back nearly half a century, and Islanders fans were less than enthused when Grabner started donning Rangers’ blue. They were sure to chirp at him on social media. “I got a lot of messages after I signed [with the Rangers] from Islanders fans, and most of them weren’t very nice.” He’s taking it in stride though and now that he’s in his second season, Islanders fans’ loud complaints have quieted, transforming into a silent resentment. With his stock on the rise, we decided to sit down and talk to ‘Grabs about the NHL, playoff hopes, and most importantly, his tattoos in this Inked exclusive interview.

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