Brooks spoke to Marian Gaborik yesterday. His first public comments since the Rangers signed Richards.
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Fact is, Gaborik, who was limited to 62 matches primarily because of an early season separated shoulder and a late-season concussion, opened 21 times with Erik Christensen as his pivot; 21 times with Derek Stepan; 14 times with Artem Anisimov; five times with Vinny Prospal; and once with Chris Drury. Beyond that, Gaborik never started more than seven straight games with the same center, with that dubious milestone achieved with Anisimov from Jan. 16 through Feb. 1.
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"I respect all the players I've been with but I am very excited to get the chance to play with Richie," Gaborik told The Post by phone yesterday. "I've watched him play throughout his career and always admired his game; the way he sees the ice, the way he moves the puck, the way he makes his teammates better.
"If I'm with Richie, it's going to be very exciting. You can never say how much time it might take to develop chemistry, you need to spend time together away from the ice and develop trust in each other, but I'm really looking forward to getting out there with him."
Very excited to see what Gaborik can do after 20 or so games with Richards as his center. I hope we can get a LW to gel quickly as well to give that top line a real chance to build chemistry.
...now just bring in Iginla on the top line for a reasonable ransom (without sending Staal, Stepan, PACKLINER, Kreider the other way) and we are in it!
It's extremely difficult not to be all giddy about the combination of Richards/Gabby on that top line. For once we're taking a legitimate #1 playmaking center and putting him with a legitimate #1 goal scoring winger.
For once we're not trying to fit a square peg in a round hole here like trying to force a #2 center (Gomez) or a #3 center (Drury) to magically be 1st line guys and produce 1st line numbers.
If healthy these guys should produce and be amungst some of the best top line combos in the league.
...now just bring in Iginla on the top line for a reasonable ransom (without sending Staal, Stepan, PACKLINER, Kreider the other way) and we are in it!
Yeah, after all the *****ing about how we just signed a 31 year old center to a decade long contract let's bring in a 34 year old star winger. I'm sure that would go over well. Just curious, what would you propose as a trade to land Jerome?
Yeah, after all the *****ing about how we just signed a 31 year old center to a decade long contract let's bring in a 34 year old star winger. I'm sure that would go over well. Just curious, what would you propose as a trade to land Jerome?
Not to turn this into an iginla discussion but the guy provides high end leadership, drive, heart and is coming off a season where he scored 43 goals by himself on a crappy team. If Calgary has **** the bed by the deadline he is going to be the most sought after acquisition.
Not to turn this into an iginla discussion but the guy provides high end leadership, drive, heart and is coming off a season where he scored 43 goals by himself on a crappy team. If Calgary has **** the bed by the deadline he is going to be the most sought after acquisition.
I didn't say he wasn't a great player. Just that A) the guy is getting up there, and B) he's the face of the Flames franchise and would likely cost a small fortune to acquire. Personally I'm not interested in giving up a huge package for a guy who makes our window for success smaller....5 years ago, different story.
Let these fools be roommates on the road, especially in Europe and Western Canada. Chemistry ins't only on the ice, but it is off the ice. They gotta form a trust and a friendship off the ice for max chemistry on the ice. Torts put them together in the room.
I'm sorry, when was it ever reported that Gaborik had a concussion? This is the first I'm hearing of it and I can't think of any valid reason why it would not have been reported until Mid-July.
I'm sorry, when was it ever reported that Gaborik had a concussion? This is the first I'm hearing of it and I can't think of any valid reason why it would not have been reported until Mid-July.
He missed 6 games this year due to a concussion. I think in March, it was reported then.
I'm sorry, when was it ever reported that Gaborik had a concussion? This is the first I'm hearing of it and I can't think of any valid reason why it would not have been reported until Mid-July.
Remember the game against the Kings? There was a lot of speculation that he suffered a concussion but Gabby played thru it the rest of the year so I guess they never really made it public.
40-50 goals this season.
