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Isles’ Grabner speaks out on Panthers camp: “I wasn’t even close to playing my game”

With what is hopefully the final time we’ll drop waived winger – and scoring sensation – Michael Grabner‘s name, Ian Walker of the National Post brings us a few very honest and forthright comments from 1/4 of Florida’s return in the Keith Ballard deal with Vancouver at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft last June:

On his showing in camp:

“I was forcing my passes, I didn’t engage and make smart plays — I was just trying too hard to do everything right and it didn’t work out. It was a lot like my four training camps in Vancouver, I just didn’t create any offence and wasn’t very good. I feel bad when I hear bad stuff said about Florida for that reason.”

Walker weighs in on the Panthers’ GM who placed Grabner on waivers, with the intention of an assignment to the Rochester Americans:

“Based on his performance at Florida’s training camp this fall, (Grabner says he) would have cut himself, too. So knock it off with the Dale Tallon jokes, already. The main architect of a Chicago Blackhawks team that won the Stanley Cup last season didn’t just go stupid over night.”

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