Michael Grabner Traded, Bernier Signed

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/17/2015 02:13:00 PM |
Grabner Traded, Bernier Signed

 The New York Islanders announced today that Steve Bernier has agreed to terms on a one-year/way contract.

The New York Islanders have traded Michael Grabner to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Taylor Beck, Matthew Finn, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson and Carter Verhaeghe.
Beck, a 24-year-old forward, appeared in 62 National Hockey League games last season with the Nashville Predators, scoring sixteen points (eight goals, eight assists). Nashville selected the St. Catherines, ON, native in the third round (70th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.

Finn, 21, was Toronto’s second round pick (35th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft. The Toronto, ON, native spent his first professional season with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League last season, recording a goal and two assists in 28 games. The defenseman led the Guelph Storm to an Ontario Hockey League Championship in 2013-14, while posting a league-best plus-57 mark.

Gibson is a 22-year-old goaltender from Karkkila, Finland. In 45 AHL games with the Marlies last season, he posted a 24-17-3 record with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. The Los Angeles Kings selected Gibson in the second round (49th overall) of the 2011 Draft.

Nilsson, 22, played 44 AHL games with Toronto last season during his first year in North America. The defenseman from Mora, Sweden, was Toronto’s fourth-round selection (100th overall) in the 2011 Draft.

Verhaeghe, a 20-year-old forward from Toronto, served as captain of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League last season. The Maple Leaf’s third-round (82nd overall) selection in the 2013 Draft, Verhaeghe won gold with Team Canada at the 2013 Under-18 World Junior Championships.

NYIFC Comments:  
Fair or not, injuries or not, Grabner was not producing and was going to make five million dollars this season who may well have been in the press box, and likely would have cleared waivers. I know nothing about the players acquired, but do know Bernier outproduced Grabner, and the saving could go to retain players who need to be resigned.

For one I noticed Alan Quine's production and wondered what more he has to prove in the AHL? 

Of course Grabner is a very likable/popular player with the fans. He will be missed but my biggest memory was the thirty games he failed to score healthy which sunk the 2013-14 season.