Player of the Week - Feb. 14

The Hockey News player of the week for the period of Feb. 7-13 is New York Islanders right winger Michael Grabner.

In four games on the week, the Austrian rookie notched seven goals and one assist in a 3-1-0 run for the Isles.

At home against Toronto on Tuesday night Grabner got one past Leafs netminder James Reimer in the Islanders’ only loss of the week. Two nights later in Montreal he doubled that, scoring twice in the 4-3 victory – including the tying goal in the third, forcing the game into a shootout. 

In the much talked about 9-3 win on Long Island against the Penguins, the 23-year-old found the back of the net twice – first at the end of the second period and then coming off an unassisted breakaway in the third to end the night’s scoring – and had a helper on the first goal of the night by fellow rookie Travis Hamonic.

Finally, Grabner ended the week by recording a hat trick in only 15:06 of ice time in a 7-6 win over Buffalo. It was the second time this season a rookie recorded a three-goal night – the first was by Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers, also against the Sabres, on Oct.9.

Grabner has 24 goals in 52 games and is tied with Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks for the rookie goal scoring lead.