In the Crease

Coming off his second injury-plagued season in three years, Marian Gaborik said it was "understandable" that potential free agent suitors might have been scared off.

Not the Rangers.

"Right when [free agency started], they sent me a video presentation," Gaborik said in a conference call Thursday. "I watched it and it was unbelievable. I felt right away that they were very interested."

Gaborik said he got a call from Rangers captain Chris Drury immediately after the market opened at noon on Wednesday.

"It was very important to me that they were interested in me right away. It was always the Rangers [in the lead] in every aspect right away whether it was the term [or the money]."

>> Click here to see photos of new Rangers sniper Marian Gaborik

Gaborik, speaking from his homeland Slovakia, said he's doing a full offseason training program with no limitations, that his health is "great" and he "doesn't see any problems down the road."

The Rangers had better hope so. It was revealed on the conference call that they gave him a limited no-trade clause, which means he probably gives the Rangers a list of a few teams to which he will or will not accept a trade each year. Any other trade would require him to waive the clause. That means that unlike he did with Scott Gomez, Glen Sather won't be able to move Gaborik's salary without the player's permission.

Gaborik said that in addition to Drury, he also spoke to former Rangers and fellow countrymen Martin Rucinsky, Marcel Hossa and Richard Lintner about playing in New York. He mentioned that former Wild teammate Aaron Voros also said he enjoyed playing here.

Rangers fans hope he has just a bit more success than Voros, who spent the latter half of last season watching from the press box.

--Mike Casey

Photo credit: Getty Images

If you watched this game, you'll never forget it.

December 20, 2007: The night Marian Gaborik skewered the Rangers for five goals. Now the Rangers hope he can stay healthy enough to do some damage against other teams.

Back in March, when new Rangers star Marian Gaborik was in Vail, Colo. recovering from hip surgery, a fellow visitor to the city was insistent about meeting him. It was Alex Rodriguez.

The Yankees slugger had just had the same surgery for a torn labrum by the same surgeon, Marc Philippon. They talked for 15 minutes.

"He just wanted to know what to expect, how I'm feeling, what I'm doing as far as treatment -- pretty much everything," Gaborik told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune at the time. "(St. Louis Blues winger Paul Kariya) and me just suggested to stay there for a while because it's the best place to be to (rehab for hip surgery)."

Gaborik added that he got a kick out of meeting A-Rod, telling the paper, "Nice guy. Huge, huge guy. He doesn't look like that on TV."

But it was a little sobering to hear Ken Daneyko on MSG a little while ago, cautioning Rangers fans about Gaborik and his injury history. Daneyko said he could be the biggest thing to hit Broadway in a while or "he could be the Carl Pavano of the Rangers." Uh-oh.

--Mark Herrmann

The last the Rangers saw Donald Brashear, they were furious with him for leveling Blair Betts with an unpenalized hit to the head. Betts seemed directed out of town and now Brashear is in.

He's the replacement for Orr and he will be embraced by the Rangers and their fans. That's the way this works.

--MH

Great point by Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated, a Hockey Hall of Fame writer, just now on TSN's free agency coverage (seen here on NHL Network)

Farber responded to a comment from one of his Toronto-based fellow panelists who scoffed at the idea that Dany Heatley wants to escape the spotlight but would get more than he asked for if he wound up in New York with the Rangers.

A former Yankees beat writer for the Bergen Record, Farber knows the lay of the land around here and he pointed out that there really isn't great media glare with the Rangers, believe it or not. "It's hockey," said the man who knows where hockey ranks in the media capital. He pointed out that Eric Lindros, a lightning rod in Canada and Philadelphia, basically got lost in NY.

Good point.

--MH

Dwayne Roloson's signing, as reported by Greg Logan, is an outstanding move for the Isles. Roloson was about the best thing the Oilers had going for them last year, and his departure leaves a major hole for them--and fills a big hole for the Isles.

Roloson just told TSN that he left Edmonton because he wanted a second guaranteed year, which the Islanders gave him.

Thank goodness for the NHL's salary floor. The Islanders had to spend money on someone!

There is no pressure on Rick DiPietro to rush back from his latest rehab. Roloson is a solid NHL goalie. The draft also gave the Isles some hope for the future in net. It makes you wonder what the organization really believes about DiPietro's long-term situation. In any event, Roloson is in the fold for two years.

"That's really up to the coaching staff," Roloson told TSN, adding he has "a great working relationship" with DiPietro, whom he knows from college hockey.

--MH

TSN reports that Mike Komisarek's agent has had 10 calls, which means the cap challenged (Gomez!) Canadiens probably won't be able to match.

It was no joke even though Chris Higgins laughed yesterday when he was asked if his buddy and fellow LIer will join him at MSG.

--MH

Two years in a row, Marian Hossa jumps to the rival. Last year, he left the Penguins to go to the Red Wings because he thought he'd have a better chance of winning the Cup. Oops.

Undaunted, he reportedly is with Detroit's Western Conference foe, Chicago. So says CBC.

Also, scratch one from the Islanders goalie sweepstakes as the Avalanche has signed Panthers' solid backup Craig Anderson.

--Mark Herrmann

It's really the rights to have an exclusive negotiating window until July 1, but Calgary must be pretty confident in their ability to sign Bouwmeester: The Flames gave up D Jordan Leopold and a pick.

Guessing Bouwmeester will be in Cowtown for a few years to come.

The final pick of the first round is Quebec native Simon Despres from the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL). He's the 17th Canadian picked, so Canada still maintains the NHL edge over Sweden, for now. He's a big guy (6'4") who moves well and displays good hands for someone of his size. He's said to have a great love of the game and he looks psyched to be a Penguin.

And that's it for the first round. Keep it here and the Islanders and Rangers blogs for more from the Steve Zipay, Greg Logan and Arthur Staple, up in Montreal.