Rangers Analysis: Should the Rangers be Planning for a Playoff Run Without Marian Gaborik?
by Greg Caggiano on Mar 4, 2010 2:41 PM EST
in New York Rangers Analysis
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It almost sounds like a contradiction in the title; construing such phrases as "playoff run" and "Marian Gaborik" together in the same sentence just begs to be scoffed at. Tonight, as the New York Rangers set to face the division rival Pittsburgh Penguins in a very important first home game back from the break, they will be doing so without Gaborik, who will be missing his sixth game of the season.
He is still listed as being day-to-day (aren't we all?) and the injury being a right knee laceration, which he suffered from a practice a week before the Olympic break, when he jumped over Henrik Lundqvist and caught a skate blade. Now, more than a month later, he is still injured, but it is no longer the laceration that is cause for concern.
Gaborik missed three games before heading to Vancouver to play for Team Slovakia in February, and even missed the first game of the tournament. Although not at 100%, he chose to play on for his team, and played very well. But then he got injured again, this time a groin problem, something which has plagued him his entire career. So now he was injured even more, and yet again he chose to keep playing for Slovakia in meaningless Olympic games.
With the regular season now ready to start up again, Gaborik returned back to New York where he missed the Rangers first game Tuesday night in Ottawa. As exciting as the Olympics were, this is yet another case of a team sending a perfectly healthy star player (save for a cut that was on it's way to healing) only to have that player return injured. If Gary Bettman is looking for any reason to not send NHL players to the 2014 games, this would be one of them.
So now to the actual injury. No one knows how severe it is. The reporters are writing that he could be in the lineup against the New Jersey Devils next Tuesday, but it may be worse than that. Behind the scenes there are those saying that Gaborik may actually need another surgery to fix his oft-injured groin, something that would derail him the rest of the way. If the team announced today that Gaborik would be out for the season, I would not be surprised one bit. Either way, the Rangers will have to play on, whether or not their $7.5 million star forward can play with them.
The Rangers must be prepared that even if Gaborik does return to the lineup at some point this season, that his chances of re-injury will be higher now than at any point in his career up to now. Glen Sather sitting still at yesterday's trade deadline ended up being perfect, because how much sense would it have made to bring in a player to compliment Gaborik without having Gaborik in the lineup?
Fans wanted the Rangers to make a move for a center, or forward in general, that could mesh with Gaborik, but now it definitely appears to be the right move. For the first time since 2001, the Rangers did not swap NHL players in a deal. If Sather thought this team had a great chance of making the playoffs, he would have traded for the sake of trading, and not stood pat. That really says something about the GM that 9 out of every 10 people hate. He showed some restraint, and should be lauded for that.
If Gaborik can not play on it would seem that the season is over, which would make the many people pushing for a "tank movement" happy. But the Rangers are just not going to die and sink to the bottom. They are going to claw their way into a playoff spot. As much as I have criticized them, and as bad as everyone makes them out to be, they really are not that bad. Obviously not having Gaborik will make it hard, but I still say this team scrapes their way into the playoffs; by which time if Gaborik can recover, will be rested and ready to go for a playoff run. But that all depends on his groin, something many of us did not want the fate of the season to rest on.
In retrospect, can anyone honestly seem surprised at this? He has never played a full season in his career and even when he was tearing it up this season, he still seemed to be dogging it. The Rangers have a very tough schedule ahead of them and now is no time to wallow in the sorrows of missing their superstar. They must dig in, put their nose to the grindstone, and find a way to make it to the postseason.
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this sucks.. i mean really..
hopefully he can tough it out and get surgery in the offseason if needed.. i just wish this guy could stay healthy..
hes been very good this season up until now. if he was good enough to play in the olympics, hes good enough to play for us. just my opinion.
i finally get to go to a game and gabby isnt playing :( go figure
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
“in meaningless Olympic games”
Meaningles to who?
He’s an elite hockey player. He’s that way becuase of either hard work or he was just born good. Probably alot of the first and some of the second. He’s an adult and made his own desision.
I’m not sure who know’s how bad it is yet. So we have no choice to wait and see. Every game this season may be “meaningless”. Rest him till he’s ready. The rangers future is not tonight, next week, or this playoffs. The future is brite ands lets hope gabby is healthy part of it.
Olympic games are meaningless to the team that is shelling out $7.5 million annually for him and gets him back unable to even walk.
by Greg Caggiano on Mar 4, 2010 2:59 PM EST up reply actions
I’m pretty sure it wasn’t meaningless to Gabby. The Rangers web site was quite proud of thier players that made olympic teams. So meaningless doesn’t seem like the right term.
I hate to see the guy hurt. I don’t think it’s a big deal. Time will tell. I’m worried about next year. He got hurt in a meaningless practice to start. It looks like he rushed a recovery. If this is a career ening injury, he’ll either regret it or be glad he got to play for his country. Either way his any shift may be his last.
There were plenty of games this season were most of the Rangers looked like the game of hockey was meaningless. The list of guys that have drive almost every night is short and Gabby is on it.
It looks to me like Gaby is one of the few rangers who thinks every game has meaning.
Gaborik missed three games before heading to Vancouver to play for Team Slovakia in February, and even missed the first game of the tournament.
If I’m not mistaken, Gaborik played in the first game and got Slovakia’s lone goal.
"Malik now." "6 foot 6, 238, not a noted goal scorer but he's gonna give it a shot here." "Malik has not scored this year. In on Kolzig, faked it....SCORES"
I think I remember most because I saw he didn’t play any of the last games for the Rangers, and then he played for Slovakia right off the bat until he was injured worse. Of course when the Olympics end and he’s back to his paid team, he’s too hurt again. Pissed me off at the time ;)
"Malik now." "6 foot 6, 238, not a noted goal scorer but he's gonna give it a shot here." "Malik has not scored this year. In on Kolzig, faked it....SCORES"
My mistake. I thought he was held out for the first game. I guess that’s just what everyone was expecting they’d do.
by Greg Caggiano on Mar 4, 2010 3:22 PM EST up reply actions
he was expected or at least it was reported he was going to skip the first two but he did play every game.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:23 PM EST up reply actions
It’s a tough situation. I think any fan of the sport absolutely LOVED these Olympic games and, despite Gabby’s injury, I think most people on here think that it is great for our sport to have our best athletes representing the game we love on the international stage.
If the Rangers wanted to, they could have contractually prohibited Gabby from playing for Slovakia.
As for the League, there should DEFINITELY be a rule in place that if you don’t play in your team’s 3 or 4 games prior to the Olympics you can’t play.
No, they shouldn't prepare for a playoff run without Gaborik
They should’ve sold off their tradeable assets and stocked up on picks and youth to get more players in here ready for the 2012-2013 season when many of our current young assets will be here and ready for the playoff run w/ Gaborik.
But the Rangers are just not going to die and sink to the bottom. They are going to claw their way into a playoff spot.
They’re going to claw. Playoffs are still a faint hope and even if they get in they’re looking at Washington in the 1st round again, who just improved a team that was already considered a favorite in the East.
It’s a silly plan, but I guess we’d all try to do things to cling to our jobs, can’t fault Sather for doing it too.
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The Rangers will never be bad enough to get a lottery pick. So why settle for 10th? Get in at the 8th spot and take your chances, although the chances won’t be too good.
by Greg Caggiano on Mar 4, 2010 3:23 PM EST up reply actions
They won't?
They’re 5 points out of the 4th pick. They’re 4 points from 6th.
They had a 7-0-0 streak and a 7-1-2 streak. Besides that, they are 14-26-5. 33 points in 45 games. That pace would give them 79 pts at season end.
They have one of the toughest schedules in the East down the stretch. They have 8 games left in the division, a division they have a 5-9-2 record against.
The biggest point though, is that it is a HUGE gamble to try to sneak into a playoff spot and miss, ending up with the 13th or so pick when selling and letting the team run it’s course could get you top 7, maybe top 5 if someone below them got hot.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 3:32 PM EST up reply actions
And of course
Getting back to the focus of your article….Gaborik is the game changer that an 8 seed needs to pretend to make a run. Henrik will steal games but as proven last year, offense will overwhelm you if you’re at a serious disadvantage. Gaborik gives you that overwhelming offense, and without him, the team is not the same threat.
Knowing he’s hurt and knowing he might not be ready to go is another in the list of reasons why holding on to assets for this probably forgettable playoff run is just bad planning.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 3:39 PM EST up reply actions
I have to agree with you mostly… a real sell off when the Rangers are within 8 points (let alone 2) of a playoff spot is never goinng to happen, regardless of the schedule. No one in the organization will want the NY papers to read “Rangers Lie Down and Rebuild For Next Year”
Maybe after Dolan is gone.
There are moves that should have been made if they could no doupt. I would have thought we could have grabbed a second while still looking like we were making a playoff run. That is what they have to do to improve the team without splitting the fan base.
All this said don’t play gabby till he is 100% or until we make the second round of the playoffs (which is not likley). If we make it to a second round then you start talking to the trainers. If he needs Surgery get movingon it now. Play some youth and see what happens, we may get a top 5 pick.
well it is 5 points out 4th (isles and panthers at 60) and 4 from 6th. if carolina wins tonight it could be 6 out of 3rd.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:25 PM EST up reply actions
why settle for 10th? because the difference b/w 10th and 8th considering the West is better in terms of points is about 6-8 spots in the draft. right now as the rangers sit 10th in the east they would pick 8th in the draft vs picking 14th if they got in the playoffs as the 8 seed.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:46 PM EST up reply actions
This is horrible..
I love gabby as much as the next guy, but I can see now two years down the line this is just going to be another contract we need to get rid of because he’s always going to get hurt. I never bashed the signing because to be honest as much as everyone says havlat and gabby are the most injury prone players in the league today, you don’t realize the extent until they play for your team. So Lets say he’s going to have to get another surgery, from what I read and heard from the day we signed him the surgery he just got is the best way to go and he had an amazing doctor. Not to mention he was reported to be as well as he would be with the recovery going smooth. I just don’t know but we obviously cannot rely on him being here 82 games plus playoffs and to pay him 7.5 million dollers to be hurt when we really need him makes me crazy. I’m not taking jabs at him himself because he’s a good guy that wants to play for this team and help but this is a bussiness and I see bad things for him and our future.
by klh2009 on Mar 4, 2010 3:33 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Let's all jump on the "bash Gabby parade"?!?
He has never played a full season in his career and even when he was tearing it up this season, he still seemed to be dogging it.
What games this season were you watching when he seemed to be dogging it? This guy plays BOTH ends of the ice. The list of “superstars” that do that is pretty short; and for historical goal scorers even shorter. I’ll take Gabby over Bure, Yagr, Marcel Dion, Luc Robataille, or whomever you want to mention – Messier excluded. Don’t dog the guy for playing for his country. Did anyone knock Cally or Drury for blocking shots and becoming role players for the U.S. to almost win the gold?
This post makes me almost as peeved as the tank comments. Professional players don’t tank. If the organization (like Toronto) decides to clean house, the players and coaches still work to win. It’s fickle fans like this who feed the opposing markets to knock NY. Damn, I’m tired of getting on this soapbox … where’s my whiskey.
Yagr
That hurt.
"Malik now." "6 foot 6, 238, not a noted goal scorer but he's gonna give it a shot here." "Malik has not scored this year. In on Kolzig, faked it....SCORES"
I don’t know if was towards my post as well but I’m not bashig him in any way. I’m just saying I understand this is a bussiness and I can’t see me loving the player he’s going to be for us because I see an Injury prone carreer ahead of him. Like I said I love the guy he wants to help his team so much as you can see in his disapointing interviews now. But I do agree that I don’t see him dogging it too much I mean the guy has wat like 38 goals. You don get them for standing around.
by klh2009 on Mar 4, 2010 4:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
wasn't at you ...
if you took it that way it wasn’t intentional, you’re lloking at Gabby from the business perspective vice his performance on the ice. I just get on a rant when I read NYR “fans” acting like the pens or isles; trying to play for a first round draft pick. What I continue to find humerous … from THN
"I’ve been in this racket for 15 years and straight across the board this is the weakest draft. Straight across the board, without question." – Canadian Hockey League scout
The difference
The Pens and Isles sold off everything and completely tanked for 4+ years. Nobody here was suggesting that.
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by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 6:07 PM EST up reply actions
wow ...
So somehow the amount of time a team tanks translates into how acceptable it is? Is one year ok? What about 2? How about just a couple of games? Or maybe just a couple of shifts, or a practice? Isn’t the concept for the players and coaches the same? If an organization wants to rebuild, that’s one thing, but intentionally tanking is different, regardless of the time frame.
You're calling it a tank
What people were suggesting is selling off their tradable pieces and let the team play as is. With the youth on the team, it’d be expected that they would fall back in the standing and end up with a premium draft pick. So yeah, I think non rah-rah fans would realize that this endless cycle of 8 spot, 1 and done playoff appearances will never lead to anything, and they should go in a different direction.
I’ll ask you this though to your larger point, do you think Spurs fans care that they torpedo’d a season where Robinson got hurt, so they could get Tim Duncan?
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 7:02 PM EST up reply actions
I'd rather no one and done playoff appearance
and get either Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin or Nino Niederreiter
Hall/Seguin are not reachable without luck in the lottery.
Fowler/Nino/Gromley however are.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
Defining "tanking"
No, I don’t think Spurs fans cared, I don’t think Isles fans care, I don’t think Pens fans cared – they don’t show up and risk their team being sold and moved when the chips are down. Ranger fans, however, show up, even when the team is losing. We “ra-ra” fans still banter on these blogs and propose ways to fix the team; you’re one of them.
Now getting to your point. “Tanking” would mean selling off the teams assets in the hopes of decreasing performance. I agree that being a seller at the deadline would have been the correct move for the long term of this team, however, I don’t think the folks we’d be looking to “sell” could really be considered assets. Rozi and Redden are the only “assets” folks have been pleading to be delt/moved. Removing them, despite THN’s assessment that Rozi is one of our top defenseman of the decade, will actually make this team better. To me the term tanking, implies dealing folks that have value, thus making the team less successful and moving down in the standings. Removing those two albatrosses would both free up cap space, as well as open holes for our highly touted young defensive corp to mature. Would it translate into a lower standing finish? Honestly I’m not sure, but it sure would be more fun to watch than screaming at the TV when those two don’t clear the front of the net, or continually commit unforced turnovers. Perhaps Sather learned that the only way another GM would take one of those two clowns would be as part of a deal that involved some real assets. Maybe that’s why he stood pat. Hopefully his offseason plans is to rid the rangers of them, we can only hope.
by bleed'n blue on Mar 5, 2010 12:06 PM EST up reply actions
Ranger fans, however, show up, even when the team is losing
So did Knicks fans, until enough became enough. There is a breaking point for fans. I used the Spurs as an example because they are now a perennial contender (though this year the decline is starting to hit, not coincidentally as Duncan does). It was a similar situation.
Their best player (Robinson, Gaborik) was hurt, they were near the bottom of the league standings (though with Bettman’s NHL, playoff spots are also near the bottom of the league standings somehow), and a unique opportunity presented itself where the team could take it’s foot off the gas and put themselves in position to pick up an elite player in the top of the draft.
Now, I don’t think Hall, Seguin, Nino or Fowler can make the impact of a Duncan, in part because the sports are quite different. Nonetheless, the Rangers have a core of young players, that adding a player with the talent of those kids could help turn the team around quickly. Combining one of them with the kids that are 2-3 years could take this team to a level that is much better than “hey, maybe we can sneak in and get our asses kicked.”
Players the Rangers fans were talking about trading were players that you can realistically argue may not be back anyway…Girardi (RFA), Prospal (UFA), Jokinen (UFA). Holding these players for this pseudo-playoff run not only short term costly if they miss the playoffs (thus costing us a top pick), it becomes long term costly as the team is now without the draft picks/young players that those players could have fetched. They’ve lost value.
No, it’s not comfortable to talk about your team losing, especially when they almost stole a series last year with a certainly worse team than this year. But too often fans look for immediate gratification at the expense of championships. This is a prime case, where fans are rooting for a miracle run for the Cup, at the cost of being in a position for an actual serious run for the Cup.
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by George E. Ays on Mar 5, 2010 2:54 PM EST up reply actions
So is there a comparison between NYR fans and Spurs fans? Did the spurs fans show up after 54 years without a championship? How about all 7 games in Montreal to lose the cup because the Circus was in town? Remember that fiasco when Gresh almost broke JD’s leg?
NY fans will support, but that’s not the point here. The point is should Sather have been a seller and dump Girardi, Prospal and Jokinen for draft picks and virtually assure a losing season? If there are no plans to keep these guys next season, then why hold on and end up with nothing for them. Great question; maybe there were no takers, maybe Sather wants to just be good enough, or maybe there were plans for them next season. Of those three guys I would think only Girardi could have made an acceptable rental to a contending team; seriously, we were all psyched that Kotalik and Higgins were gone from the cap that I haven’t heard too many fans break down the other possibilities. Personally I’d rather have Alexei Ponikarovsky, but maybe he didn’t want to come here. Regardless, I too am frustrated with the almost yearly churn from our GM. Since the cup how many different directions has the team gone? From Bure to Gretzky, to Jagr, to Gomez/Drury – defensive sometimes, offensive sometimes but always right on the bubble. Bottom line from me is I think our GM has proven he doesn’t know how to rebuild. So why sell off everything just to have him repeat this whole process again? I’m comfortable talking about the Rangers, been doing it for 30 years. I’m also comfortable embracing a good business decision for the team – if that involves deals and building for the future so be it. I guess I’m not confident that our organization knows how to do it. So until then, I’ll take the “almost” there feeling, root for them to maybe steal the Caps series, but either way I’ll still be bantering.
And by the way, you’re right; there is no one in this draft class.
by bleed'n blue on Mar 5, 2010 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
gotta get my facts straight ...
one more time … I misquoted the circus fiasco:
http://rangers.nhl.com/club/page.htm?bcid=41452
… and then hit return and posted twice … my bust.
by bleed'n blue on Mar 6, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions
If Sather thought this team had a great chance of making the playoffs, he would have traded for the sake of trading, and not stood pat.
He tried. I assure you, he tried.
Camp Tortorella - Where Vomit is a Mainstay
Smurf, you mentioned positioning ourselves for the 12-13 season – is there any chance though that any of our top prospects will be ready in 2011-12, i.e. two seasons from now?
grachev with another year in hartford should definitely be ready…i would also think that sangs is here or gone by then. the badger brothers should also be here by then. the only highly discussed prospects that probably wouldnt be here in two years are Kreider, maybe Werek and Horak. With 2 concussions and a neck injury in juniors i am not expecting bourque to make it. Sam Klassen could also be here in 2-3 years but he isnt necessarily a top prospect.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions
I agree with leetch here.
My point though is that while we’ll have a good chunk of the kids here in 11-12, I don’t expect a playoff push from them immediately. With a 2nd year under their belt, combined with what is already here, and assuming management doesn’t sell everything off, they’ll start to be a threat in 12-13.
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by George E. Ays on Mar 4, 2010 4:54 PM EST up reply actions
agreed many of them in 11-12 will be rookies and have their ups and downs as AA and MDZ have had this year, in 12-13 they would be better adjusted and our others will be in scenarios like where dubi and cally are this year
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:58 PM EST up reply actions
OK thanks – so there should be at least some improvement in the club in 2 years. How about Stepan? Isn’t he the same age or maybe even a little older than MDZ?
i cant say yes there will be improvement in the club in two years because we really have no idea what moves will be made between now and then, but these young players if they continue to develop as they have to this point with be better in two years, yes.
i believe stepan has a chance to make the rangers next year and even if he doesnt he is probably better off leaving Wisconsin and playing in Hartford both because of the number off added games of development he will get but also playing against bigger, stronger, older competition. As for his age in comparison to MDZ he is actually 6 days younger than del zotto.
I know Jess from ProspectPark has a couple of times talked about in terms of Kreider’s development how it might help him if he left BC and played a year in the canadian juniors primarily because of the added games.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 5:37 PM EST up reply actions
I totally agree with bleed’n blue above. Gaborik plays hard night in night out. He’s a much tougher, more hard working, and more dedicated player than most people give him credit for, and his performance for team Slovakia only helps prove that point. Nobody should fault Gabby for wanting to represent his country, as was said above anyone else would have done the same. There’s no reason to rag on Gabby. He’s one of the top 5 forwards in the world and he’s really shown it this year.
I think we might be jumping to conclusions a bit too hastily here declaring that he’s out for the season and all. For all we know he might be back in the lineup within a few days.
And as for the Olympic talk, as a hockey fan there are few things as awesome as high caliber international competition. I think a couple injuries here and there (even if the injuries happen to players on your team) shouldn’t prevent us from enjoying amazing hockey. Injuries happen. Erik Johnson missed all of last year after a golf-cart accident. Should Bettman also stop NHLers from riding golf carts?
We knew this about Gabby...
an I coulda swore that most would’ve been happy to see him play in 62-72 games…somewhere around that (of course…making sure he’d be ready for the playoffs..if they get there).
The context of the injury really was that skate he took, then compensated for the cut and hurt his groin (at least how I see it).
Either way…I dunno about anyone else, these past few games have been played sans Gabby…and they’ve won.
As long as they keep winning (assuming he’s out for the next game?)…let him sit till he’s as close to 100% as possible.
Master of the squeegee
Any word on whether or not Gaborik will be in the lineup tonight?
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this article would say unlikely.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2010/03/olympics-strike-back-gaborik-out-indefinitely.php
Now that pesky lower-body injury that Marian Gaborik suffered will apparently not only keep him out tonight against the Penguins, but could likely keep him out over the weekend as well
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
also
NYfan1610 Del Zotto in; Gaborik still out; Henrik to start tonight vs Pens at MSG
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 4:39 PM EST up reply actions
seasons over ::clap clap, clap clap calp:: seasons over
any miracle he plays on the 18th against st.louis? thats my last day of tickets
better yet versus Philly on the 14th
This was to be the feisty game with repercussions held over from the Carcillo-Gaborik “fight”. I have been waiting since they last met to see this one live.
by truebluesince75 on Mar 4, 2010 5:37 PM EST up reply actions
well gabby doesnt have to play for any of that to happen, lol.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 5:40 PM EST up reply actions
true but you know he would be primed for that game
by truebluesince75 on Mar 4, 2010 5:41 PM EST up reply actions
and I had my Flyers buddy coming to the game. what a gyp that will be if he is still out.
by truebluesince75 on Mar 4, 2010 5:44 PM EST up reply actions
That's a major punch in the nuts
We go to games because we love the Rangers, But him being in the lineup makes it that much better when he’s on its mesmerizing, just really sucks having tickets and him not being there, My friend is bringing a sign that says “Hey Gabby good job playing hurt, How’d that bronze work out for ya..Oh wait…”
honestly it might be better for him not to play…i admire david booth’s guts but not his brains so much for fighting richards last night in getting back for the hit that gave him the concussion. obviously richards isnt a big fighter but when you have a concussion a fight is the last thing your team needs you to do risking another.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 5:45 PM EST up reply actions
if he is still out by that point people here will riot and the injury is serious enough where they may well consider sitting him for the year depending on where they are in the standings cause while only 2 weeks away i believe after that game we will only have approx 10 games left (maybe 11) after that game.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 5:40 PM EST up reply actions
Gross confirms no gabby tonight
AGrossRecord As expected, Marian Gaborik out again tonight for #NYRangers. John Tortorella offers no other update on him. Aaron Voros also scratched.
Do you let Gaborik play in 2012 Olympics?
Assume the NHL stops or doesn’t. I don’t let him go either way.
by It may HAVE to Last a Lifetime on Mar 4, 2010 5:53 PM EST reply actions
problem is teams cant stop them if the cba approves it.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 6:36 PM EST up reply actions
Guys this might be an extreme, but with Gabby its not out of the question. Last year his injury problems were listed as day-to-day and he was out a whole season. Now his groin is re-injured and possibly back in the same boat. Hes at a point in his career where this injury might just stop him from playing hockey all together. I would say retire, BUT hes a Ranger with a huge contract. Seeing our past with these types of players a la Bure, he’ll soak up 7.5 million and finish off his contract on his couch
couple flaws. if he is hurt and doesnt play for whatever long he goes on LTIR and the cap money is replaced by the league (rangers can go over cap by that amount). if he retires obviously he doesnt count anything, so if he is sitting on his couch he isnt hurting our cap other than an inability to spend it on someone else as a free agent.
i doubt he retires, instead he plays 60-65 games a year and is paid like a superstar who pays 82 which is why i said all offseason i would have given him a 1 yr deal to prove he was healthy before giving him the long term. i mean this could just be he misses 2 weeks and ends up playing 70 games this year, but the scary part is this is year 1 of 5 so the likelihood is it would get worse not better.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 6:40 PM EST up reply actions
the worst case is it is one of these things where he misses two weeks comes back and tries to play then misses a couple weeks cause then you are right he sucks up the cap and we get no relief.
by Michael Gleich on Mar 4, 2010 6:47 PM EST up reply actions
He can hang out with Foppa.
The real kicker is Gabby cockteased us that we finally had a scorer and then he got injured. We all knew it was going to happen, its just the matter of hwen and in this case how: the Olympics.
Anyhow, Bettman will certainly be filing this away for his argument against NHL involvement in the Olympics.
by truebluesince75 on Mar 5, 2010 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
mr. jello..
its over if mr jello gaborik is not going to be 100 percent. dumb ass sather should have traded for dany heatley ..
I second that
Heatley may have a MAJOR atittude, but we wouldn’t have to worry about a string cheese groin and styrofoam hips
I believed this earlier – but had no corroborating data/source – so I wasn’t comfortable posting it. Something that I believe in journalism is called “checking your sources”.
Now it’s being reported “likely” that Gaborik will play next Wednesday at the latest – based on what was seen when he skated this morning.
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right......"
I doubt they would have skated him if they even suspected a tear.
The NYR are no different than any other NHL team – they don’t disclose the nature of injuries – unless hospitals/surgeries/LTIR are involved – and even then, only grudgingly.
BlueshirtBanter - beating up reporters at bus stops since 1994
"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right......"
he chose to keep playing for Slovakia in meaningless Olympic games.
They were within reach of the first team olympic medal in his nations history. That doesnt sound meaningless to me.
The way I see it if you care about the guy, respect how important those games were to him.
I watched nearly all the Slovakia games and he played great… the whole team did, actually.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
they stupid
they shouldnt even plan a playoff run at all…ridiculous
with or without gaborik, the team is bad all over the place, despite the little winning run theyre havin
fall back and take a top 10 pick
if they make the playoffs and actually get to the conference finals, i would seriously consider the potential they have here…but what are the odds of that? HA!
how do NOT plan for a run?
I mean, do you expect the team to have a meeting and say, “Hey we are not really that good and if we do make it, we will just get devoured in the 1st round by Washington. Let’s bag it and go home.”
or do you suggest they pull a Pittsburgh and vie for Lemieux…er I mean…the #1 draft spot?
They Rangers don’t have to officially call it quits, its just a natural by-product of how they play with a lack of intensity that will put the proverbial fork in.
by truebluesince75 on Mar 5, 2010 11:23 AM EST reply actions
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| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York Rangers
|
49 | 32 | 12 | 5 | 69 |
|
Philadelphia
|
50 | 30 | 14 | 6 | 66 |
|
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51 | 29 | 18 | 4 | 62 |
|
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50 | 21 | 22 | 7 | 49 |
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