Let’s rewind to the end of the 2009 season. Little me was freshly turned sixteen, and my sports fix featured an overachieving Jets team turning heads, a broken-down New York Mets squad with more injuries than a hospital, and a New York Rangers team that seemingly couldn’t score goals if their lives depended on it. John Tortorella was the new Rangers head coach, and the Rangers offense revolved around Petr Prucha, Nigel Dawes, Scott Gomez, and Nik Zherdev, but all four would be on their way out in short order. Enter Marian Gaborik.
In addition, the 2009 season was after players like Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, and Brendan Shanahan had all gone their separate ways. Markus Naslund was (and still is) one of my favorite players, but his play was also not enough, as he was signed to replace the production from those who left. This left New York with a team that had talented players but a team that had trouble putting the puck in the back of the net.
I knew all about Marian Gaborik and was always mesmerized by how quick and lethal he was on the ice. How can one forget a guy who dropped five goals on your favorite team just a few years prior? Before coming to New York, Gaborik spent eight seasons with the Wild from 2000 to 2009, becoming the team’s all-time leading goal scorer and one of the best pure snipers in the game.
So, you can imagine teenage me absolutely losing my mind when the news broke on that July afternoon. Marian Gaborik signed with the Rangers on the first day of free agency on July 1st. The deal was reported at $37.5 million contract over five years. I had already been into hockey a ton by this time in my life, but this was a jolt to the system for me, and I couldn’t wait for October to finally arrive.
Gaborik came storming out of the gate as a Ranger, scoring 10 goals in his first 12 games. Despite the Rangers finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference and missing the 2010 playoffs by one point, Marian Gaborik delivered an outstanding first season with the club, instantly endearing himself to the Ranger fans.
Marian Gaborik appeared in 76 games, tying his career high with 42 goals and setting a new personal best with 44 assists for 86 points. He led the team in goals, assists, and points. His 42 goals ranked fifth in the NHL, trailing only Patrick Marleau, Alexander Ovechkin, and league leaders Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos, while his 86 points ranked 10th overall.
Gaborik’s second season with the Rangers in 2010–11 was limited by injuries. Just three games into the season, he suffered a shoulder injury after taking an illegal boarding hit in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The injury sidelined him for nearly a month and affected his playing style after his return, particularly his powerful wrist shot.
Possibly due to lingering effects from multiple injuries, Marian Gaborik became a streaky scorer and finished the season with 22 goals and 26 assists in 62 games, with 12 of his goals coming in just four games. The feat was still impressive considering the injuries and looming influence of a coach who didn’t like his style of play.
One noteworthy performance came on January 19, 2011, when Marian Gaborik recorded four goals and an assist in a 7–0 victory over Toronto. The Rangers clinched a playoff spot as the eighth seed with a 5–2 win over the New Jersey Devils in the final game of the regular season, their first return to the playoffs since Gaborik joined the team.
He recorded an assist on the game-winning goal and finished with a plus-minus rating of plus-2. In the first round of the 2011 playoffs against the top-seeded Washington Capitals, the Rangers were eliminated in five games. Gaborik totaled one goal and one assist for two points in the series.
On January 29, 2012, Gaborik was named MVP of the 59th NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa. He completed the 2011–12 season by playing all 82 games, recording 41 goals and 35 assists for 76 points. He led the Rangers in goals and total points and finished second on the team in assists.
The Rangers earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference and finished second overall in the Presidents’ Trophy race behind the Vancouver Canucks. Marian Gaborik 41 goals ranked third in the NHL, behind Evgeni Malkin’s 50 and league leader Steven Stamkos’ 60.
On May 3, shortly after midnight, Gaborik scored a triple-overtime game-winning goal against the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, giving the Rangers a 2–1 series lead and ending one of the longest playoff games in team history.
The Rangers went on to defeat the Capitals in seven games before losing to the New Jersey Devils in six games in the Eastern Conference Final. Gaborik finished the 2012 playoffs with five goals and six assists for 11 points across 20 games. No matter how much or how little he produced, I was always there rooting hard for him.
When the lockout-shortened 2012–13 NHL season began, Marian Gaborik, who had remained inactive during the labor dispute, struggled to regain his previous scoring form. His performance was often overshadowed by the arrival of Rick Nash. After scoring nine goals in 35 games, Gaborik was traded at the deadline on April 3, 2013, along with minor leaguers Blake Parlett and Steven Delisle, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore, and a sixth-round draft pick. I was devastated.
I was sitting in the hallway at my college, waiting for the local bus to take me home, when I found out about the trade. In typical JL fashion, I tried to rationalize why the deal was made, but I was still heartbroken. Marian Gaborik was a player who battled injuries and played under a coach who didn’t really favor him.
Despite this, he had some impressive seasons as a Rangers forward. There were countless nights when Marian Gaborik was the sole offensive force on the ice, literally taking control of games and willing the Rangers to victory.
Night after night, Marian Gaborik gave his all, scoring goals for the team. Although the Rangers didn’t win a Stanley Cup during his time, he was still one of their best signings in years. I always believed Gaborik could score and help the team win. His scoring flair was exactly what the Rangers needed.
In 255 games as a Ranger, Gaborik recorded 114 goals, 115 assists, and a +30 plus-minus rating, including 81 even-strength goals, 32 on the power play, one shorthanded, and 19 game-winners, solidifying his role as a primary offensive weapon for the Blueshirts.
Gaborik was a force to be reckoned with during his tenure as a Ranger, and I will look back on that time fondly, as I’m sure many others will as well.
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