2017 Rangers Report Card: Michael Grabner

Jeff Gorton surprised Rangers fans by signing Michael Grabner to a two-year, $3.3 million contract on July 1st, 2016. On the first day of free agency the Rangers chose to let Viktor Stalberg walk and replaced his speed and presence in the bottom-six with the Austrian winger.

Grabner had nine goals and nine assists in 80 games with the Maple Leafs in 2015-16. By the end of November 2016 he had 12 goals and four assists in 24 games with the Rangers.

Starts don’t get much hotter than that.

The former Canucks first round pick found himself skating on the Rangers dangerous third line centered by Kevin Hayes with J.T. Miller on his opposite wing. As a trio that line struggled in terms of possession,…