Rangers News: Gaborik does not skate at opening day of training camp
Stick salute to Andrew Gross (who by the way is providing great training camp coverage) for breaking this story. Here is what he had to say:
Marian Gaborik went through the medical testing today but did not participate in the sprint tests. Gaborik has taken part in some of the Rangers' informal skates but John Tortorella said he was held out of today's testing as a precaution.
"We just want to be careful, he's a little tender," Tortorella said. "He was skating the other today, he's just a little sore from that. We don't want to do anything stupid."
Gaborik already was not going to participate in tonight's three-mile run as the Rangers try to be smart with the injury-prone Gaborik, who played just 17 games last season due to hip surgery before signing a five-year, $37.5 million deal to come to the Rangers from Minnesota.
It would obviously be bad news, then, if Gaborik is hurting already to start the season. But it's too early to issue any dire warnings. Tortorella said Friday the Rangers will be in close contact with Gaborik's doctor to make sure he's given every chance to remain healthy.
Oh my God step off the ledge for a second and click after the jump for my analysis!
Okay before you all panic lets relax for a second and think this through. For starters Tortorella only said that Gaboik was SORE, not injured. He had a surgerylast year that kept him off the ice for most of the season, so he has missed serious conditioning for about a year now. He skated in the final 10 games of the season but the Wild missed the playoffs so he only practiced for a few weeks before his season ended. It makes sense for him to be a little sore after last years long time away from the ice, and the Rangers are handling this the way they should.
Today is the first day of a very strenuous training camp in which Tortorella is going to work these guys till they puke. We have all agreed that no one--no matter how skilled--deserves special treatment but Gaborikis a special case. There is no need to rush him into doing everything that Tortorella has planned for the team. Gaborik's doctors are in constant talks with the Rangers training staff (as stated in the article) and are probably instructing the Rangers on how to keep him healthy all year.
So the point of this article to to have you all relax and take you're hands off the panic button. Gaborik is not injured and I am sure that these "missed skates" will happen often. They are not the end of the world just protocol.
