Marian Gaborik And Brad Richards Are Finding Their Chemistry
by Joe Fortunato on Oct 21, 2011 10:01 AM EDT
in New York Rangers Analysis
Email
PrintIt might only been five games into the 2011 New York Rangers' season, but we're
already beginning to see some serious chemistry brewing between Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik. Yes, there's still bumps in the road between the two, and visible places for improvement, but that's what makes the start of the season so remarkable.
Gaborik, who only scored 22 goals last year, already has four goals in five games. Richards has assisted on all four of those goals, including Friday night's beauty to get the puck to Derek Stepan who then set up the Rangers first power play goal of the season. The only game where Gaborik didn't score, against the Anaheim Ducks, Richards scored on a beauty that earned Blueshirt Banter's first ever highlight of the week.
Join me after the jump for more.
The two have been connecting all over the ice, including against the Calgary Flames where Richards set up Gaborik for prime scoring chances twice more before the period was even over.
You can see the effect it's having on Gaborik already. He's more comfortable on the ice, and he's no longer trying to do everything himself. Now, instead of going into the corners to flush out the puck and try to create his own scoring chances, he's going to the dangerous areas of the ice.
More often than not, when the Rangers are in the offensive zone, Gaborik is around the net, where he is most lethal. All of his goal this year, aside from the one against the Vancouver Canucks, have been big goals as well. He score the go-ahead goal against the Los Angeles Kings, the game tying goal against the New York Islanders and the first goal of the game Friday night.
And while you can point to his goal scoring ability as a mean reason for the early season success, don't discount what simply being on the ice with Richards does for Gaborik. Suddenly he can just focus on scoring goals and not have to worry about being "Mr. Everything."
It's taken a load of pressure off his shoulders, and the results are exactly what Rangers fans want to see. The best part? It's only going to get better. The more Richards and Gaborik play, the more comfortable the two will become. And if the duo has done this well to start the season, it should be even better results as they continue to gel.
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Let's not forget Stepan
He has been playing great with Richards and Gaborik. I remember watching him several times last night being deep in on the forecheck and still being the first forward back defensively on the backcheck. Richards and Gaborik need that other forward to be really defensively responsible. That is the one area of their game that is lacking.
Glad somebody else noticed that.
G Per Time Str Team Goal Scorer Assist Assist
1 1 4:53 PP NYR 10 M.GABORIK 21 D.STEPAN 19 B.RICHARDS
NYR on Ice
4, 10, 19, 21, 24, 30
You are correct guys
I fixed it. Thanks!
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by Joe Fortunato on Oct 21, 2011 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Now who wants to trade Gaborik?
"Don't look now, but there's one too many people in this room and I think it's you." Groucho Marx
In Prust We Trust
"Kovalev would work with Tortorella like a kitty would work in a microwave.
A lot of smoke and desperate clawing at the door. It wouldn’t work. It would just be a big, hot mess." -Dig Deep
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by Kevin Power on Oct 21, 2011 11:40 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
that’s not a fair question. if Richards weren’t here you might have had a lot of takers on that. 2 totally different situations between this year and last year. it would be different if he were doing this without BR and he was playing like all the other years he didn’t have a #1 center, which was always. just sayin.
by Richter1994 on Oct 21, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed 100%.
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
thats how sather puts lines together… he uses match.com, chemistry.com, and eharmony.com he puts his players in and signs whomever the most compatible is…
@clalicata17
by Clalicata17 on Oct 21, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I prefer.
We are going to go to Philadelphia... and we are going to win.- Glen Sather
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Oct 21, 2011 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
J date
We are going to go to Philadelphia... and we are going to win.- Glen Sather
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Oct 21, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I have yet to see the no look pass to gaborik and then gaborik scores. Until they do that they both suck and are taking up EC’s playing time. Nah they’ve been amazing and everything people dreamed of.
We are going to go to Philadelphia... and we are going to win.- Glen Sather
by RichieToGabbySCORE on Oct 21, 2011 11:45 AM EDT reply actions
Surprisingly, he did. I saw him backcheck at least twice (which is an immense improvement over previous games/seasons/whatever) and broke up a few plays. He’s finally playing like his career is on the line (because it is). We’ll see if it’s his one-in-twelve game appearances or a changing of the tide.
Gabby is a new man
I admit it- I was bashing Gabbymost of last year. This year he is playing great hockey and looks quicker, stronger and more aggressive. Maybe he was hurt last year? Maybe he’s looking for a contract extension? Whatever the reason – keep up the great play Mr G.
"Shoot the Puck Barry, Shoot the puck !" Bill Chadwick
by RangerFanInChicago on Oct 21, 2011 12:18 PM EDT reply actions
His fiancé left him
He hurt his shoulder
Had a lower body injury
Got a concussion.
Yea, last year was rough for him all around
by teknics on Oct 21, 2011 12:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Apparently it was around late January early February. They were together 7 years. The story was mostly only covered in slovakian news, so details are hard to find, but she left the US and everything.
Some creative googling might turn up some more details but I’m at work I’ll try digging up more later
by teknics on Oct 21, 2011 1:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm 100% positive
That his “lower body injury” had to be something with his groin. Last year it looked like he had lost a step and wasn’t flying all over the ice like the usual Gaborik. This year is total opposite, I’m seeing the speed that we saw 2 years ago, he looks like his old confident self.
Proudly suffering as a Ranger fan.
First Practice:
Richards gets to the rink a bit late because he’s new to Westchester and Gabby is already out on the ice. Richards suits up and skates right out to center is where Gaborik is standing. The hand shake.
Richards: Hows it going, Nice to meet ya.
Gabby: Same here, thanks for joining us.
Richards: I just wanted you to know, I’m here for YOU! I am here to make this team better and get YOU back to where you belong in the upper echelon of the NHL and together we are going to tear it up.
Gabby: Well,,,I…
Richards: Don’t say a word. In return, I am asking you to make ME better as well and I expect nothing else- He winks.
Gabby: OK
The rest is history..
aww that sucks
Why would he live in westchester… this place is mierda
Take it to the net and keep jamming and jamming until somebody comes on you.
- Eddie Olczyk
by Scratch and Snif on Oct 21, 2011 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
He probably lives in the city
But the practice facility is in Westchester. I think most of the single guys live in the city. It used to be that the Rangers management preferred the players to not live in the city so they didn’t get caught up in all the “distractions”.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Oct 21, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Yea, but...
another great article Joe. My main concern is for Gabby’s health. I noticed him protecting it last night. He’s going strong, but let’s see where he is after 20-40 games.
Stepan is perfect on the wing. I noticed more line stability last night than I think I’ve seen in all the years since Torts has been behind the bench. While I’m a big fan of line juggling, I hope we can sit tight with this rotation for a minute to see how it goes. I actually thought that Boyle’s line did a great job. If Boyle and Anisimov can keep this up it bodes very well for the season. This year we must get points because I would say we are in an insanely competative division and conference. We can put out an awesome team this year, finish ten games over .500 and STILL not make the playoffs.
But I’m very happy with the games I’ve seen, particularly since we’re missing two of our top six d-men.
Never thought I’d say this before next year because I think he needs another go-round in the AHL, but MDZ is at least learning to hold his own…so far.
d
Really? I didn’t notice it, he seemed willing to toss himself around. I did see him hold up a few times without the puck to avoid a board-smearing on a few dump ins.
I’ll have to watch him closer when I rewatch it
by teknics on Oct 21, 2011 1:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yea, that’s what I was talking about. I know it might seem like I’m reading too much into those 1/2 seconds, I mean, I’d back off from being smearedd, but with his history of injuries it makes me wonder. No doubt he’s playing stronger, but as Joe says, he’s able to work more in open ice.
Ok yea were on the same page, I saw him do it prob 2-3 times. I’ve seen him do it a lot before though, he seems to do that when he’s tired or when he seems to be trying to set something up/focusing on how things are developing. It does throw me off and makes him look like he’s trying to protect himself though.
It’s when he has solid possession and loses it to avoid a hit that, to me, shows he might be hurt. So far tho when he has the puck and wants to get somewhere with it this year he muscles around defenders.
Basically I think he’s playing at 100%, healthwise, so far.
by teknics on Oct 21, 2011 3:29 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
let's hope it lasts...
because when i’ve watched gabby live and healthy, you can really see his strength and speed. it’s pretty obvious when he’s hurt. like the guy who talks in class all the time. you know he hasn’t done the reading when he just sits there.
right now he looks healthy to me but i don’t think he has all of his confidence back.
rangers D is seriously lacking
Why doesnt anyone on this blog point out/ discuss the glaring shortcomings of the rangers defensemen? Specifically their inability to handle the puck and start a breakout with speed…our d men who could play that style of d , guys like MDZ, seem scared to do so, because torts is so quick to put guys in the dog house/hartford. Is the problem with the rangers defensemen a sheer lack of skill or is it torts telling these guys to play stay at home d?
While I wouldn’t place any of guys in the category of Orr or Lidstrom in terms of first pass/breakout, “glaring shortcomings” is a total exaggeration. McD and Girardi are both more than capable of making good first passes and stretch passes too. When Staal returns he is just as capable. Plus if Erixon plays some more NHL hockey I think its perfectly reasonable to think he could do the same.
by Zuppa Di Pesce on Oct 21, 2011 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions
The major problem with the Rangers' D
Is that we are missing our number 1 and number 4 d-men.
However, Torts does seem a little quick on the trigger finger: how many shifts did Newbury get after he picked the instigator for the fight? Although perhaps he did deserve that, because while sticking up for a teammate is good, he sure didn’t pick his spot very well.
Well Newbury was given a total of 17 minutes so by default he wasn’t going to get much ice time in the 2nd.
And as the game progressed and it stayed tied going into the 3rd I wasn’t going to expect the 4th line to get any ice time.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Oct 21, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions
You're right MyFav
But Torts does have a one mistake, ride the pine philosophy. And to be fair, sometimes that is justified.
especially when it comes to defense. In New York he’s turned into a defensive minded strategist and he has NO patience for mistakes on the blue line. To me this is wise, not a weakness of his. We work from Hank on out. By now, all of the forwards know this. Getting Richards was the next step in a patient philosophy about our core system. It’s why we’ve made most of the draft picks we have over the last several years. We have a solid, young defensive corp as our nucleus. After that, we have grinding, in the corners, hard working forwards. People complained that we weren’t drafting all the best offensive forwards. It wasn’t time. You’ve noticed, that now that we have the body of our team in place, Sather has begun to draft guys with more scoring potential….the zuccs, Thomas’, etc. We now have a team to support them.
disagree...
while I don’t particularly like Newbury, he picked his spot well there. It was a dirty hit, should have been a penalty and Newbiry did the right thing. I the refs are not going to protect your starts, you have too. Should have been a penalty for the hit on Stepan early on too. Cally was called for even less than that last game. The refereeing has been wildly inconsistent for us these firs 5 games. While we have deserved many penalties, there are plenty that were ticky-tac and when happening the other way were not called (hook on gabby last night/high stick on dubi). I know it all evens out at years end, but these first 5 games have been poorly refereed in the position if the Rangers.
Agreed.
PRUSTOSTERONE!!!
"Stepan, step in, step out" Timothy Leary
Scott Gomez, the gift that keeps on giving!
by nathansfamous on Oct 21, 2011 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Number 1 and 4 are stay at home guys too, when torts prompted stall last year to get involved in the play up the ice he clearly was uncomfortable and that plan was quickly aborted…seems like we have an old school mindset for what role d men should have and that the league is now filled with a faster more skilled type of defenseman
torts is definitely quick to change lines, personnel and i guarantee that hurts guys confidence…zuccarello played all of 7 minutes this season and was shipped down to the whale…how much confidence could he possibly have when he gets called back up to the big club
Staal had 13 PP points, 3rd on the team. Among D that played the majority of the season with the Rangers (exclude McCabe and Del Zotto) he led the team in average PP ice time and was 4th overall on the entire team in total PP ice time.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Oct 21, 2011 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions
not taking anything away from stall hes a top defensemen in the league and will be for a long time to come, i just think there are plenty of more dynamic defensemen out there, i think most people would agree
Dynamic as in putting up offensive numbers as well as playing solid D yes. But there is no one better in terms of just straight defense.
by CrazyRangerFan on Oct 21, 2011 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Out there as in the rest of the league? Of course there are. But they can only work with what they’ve got on hand.
by MyFavBaseballSquadron on Oct 21, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Very true. Additionally, although it is too early to really tell, it appears that McDonagh has a chance to be the dynamic defenseman we have been hoping for. With the salary cap, how many potent offensive d-men can a team realistically carry?
Thank you Bob Gainey and Montreal! I still can’t believe we unloaded Gomez for McDonagh.
And that doesn’t even count the cap space we got to sign Gaborik and Higgins who came in the trade as well and was then traded to Calgary for Prust.
Don't forget Valentenko
Who could be a serviceable 6/7 next season if we let go of Woywitka/Eminger and McIlrath isn’t ready. I’ve love to see Valentenko in camp next season healthy (he looked great in last season’s camp).
Mc-DonOrr
so, I saw a variation of that in the GDT last night. Well earned, considering who its supposed to be after.
Am I the only one who thought of Colton Orr first, instead of Bobby Orr? :/
R.I.P Derek
Rangers FTW!
by BleedsRangerBlue on Oct 21, 2011 4:06 PM EDT reply actions
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