From The Blue Seats recently had the chance to sit down with the Austrian-born forward to discuss his use of Twitter.
From The Blue Seats: How long have you been using Twitter?
Michael Grabner: I got started in training camp (Sept 13, according to CoTweet). My buddy's brother has studied social media, and he actually got me all set up with an account.
FTBS: Were you apprehensive at all to use Twitter?
@grabs40: He explained it to me pretty well. Using it a few times per day I was able to kind of figure it out by myself.
FTBS: Has your style changed over time?
@grabs40: At the beginning, I was a lot more careful about what I would put out there. Now I am a lot more comfortable saying more.
FTBS: How would you characterize your Tweets? What do you like to write about?
@grabs40: Seems like I write the most about pre-game naps and meals. Fans tend to respond well to food. They're always recommending good places to visit on the road.
FTBS: What's been the most interesting thing you've had happen on Twitter?
@grabs40: (laughs) Probably when The Hockey News covered all of my Tweets during a losing streak
FTBS: Have any of your teammates taken your lead?
@grabs40: A few have. Matt Moulson is probably the most active the last couple of months.
FTBS: How do you typically Tweet?
@grabs40: Usually on my iPhone or iPad.
FTBS: When are we most likely to see you Tweeting?
@grabs40: After morning skate, after a pre-game meal or after a game.
FTBS: Will you do more Tweeting in the future?
@grabs40: Probably the same amount.
FTBS: Are there any NHL players you like to follow on Twitter?
@grabs40: BizNasty is interesting. A lot of guys I find tweet about just hockey stuff, but there’s a few who are doing some outside of hockey. It’s good to give those little insights for the fans.
And now, some questions from the audience:
@CoPo14: Do you have any milestones for the amount of goals you want to score this season? 30? 35? 40?
@grabs40: My goal this season was 15-20. Now I want to get to 30 and everything after that is a bonus.
@stevezan: Do you have any pre-game superstitions/rituals?
@grabs40: Not really, nothing crazy. I get dressed 10 minutes before warmups, but that's about it.
@bigj2377: What did you think when you first started to see Fans wearing your jersey number and name on it?
@grabs40: The fans have been great to me all season long, before the All-Star game and especially on Twitter.
@PatLehmann: Do you think the @NYIslanders can be a force to be reckoned with in the next few years?
@grabs40: I hope we can keep this core of players together. We have a lot of good young guys. We have grown a lot this year and gotten a lot of experience.
