Jackets go on the off ensive, hope Gaborik does, too
NEW YORK — The New York Rangers have traded slumping forward Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second trade of star players between the teams within the past year.
Gaborik was dealt to the Blue Jackets Wednesday, just before the NHL’s afternoon trade deadline, for centre Derick Brassard, right- winger Derek Dorsett, defenceman John Moore and a sixth- round pick in the 2014 draft.
Gaborik waived a no- movement clause in order to allow the deal to be completed.
It was the second big trade for the playoff- hopeful Rangers in two days. On Tuesday night, the New York acquired forward Ryane Clowe from the San Jose Sharks for a package of three draft picks.
New York and Columbus have become big- time trading partners in recent times.
The Rangers received top- line forward Rick Nash from the Blue Jackets in a trade last July that sent Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and a first- round pick in this year’s draft to Columbus.
Nash, the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft by the Blue Jackets in 2002, has 13 goals and 30 points in his first 31 games with New York. Columbus also acquired defencemen Steven Delisle and Blake Parlett from the Rangers on Wednesday. Delisle had been traded to New York as part of the Nash deal.
The Rangers entered play on Wednesday in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, two points behind area rivals New Jersey and the New York Islanders, who hold the final two playoff positions. The Rangers have 13 games remaining.
Columbus also has its sights on the playoffs in the Western Conference, sitting in 11th place but only one point below the post- season cutoff. The Blue Jackets have qualified for the playoffs only once in their first 11 NHL seasons — losing in the first round in 2009.
They were so anxious to bring Gaborik to the team, the Blue Jackets sent a private plane to pick him up and fly him to Nashville, where the Blue Jackets are scheduled to play the Predators on Thursday night. Columbus centre Mark Letestu has already agreed to give Gaborik his familiar No. 10, and will take No. 55 instead.
“Throughout this process our focus was to add a player who could provide a boost to our offence, improve our goal scoring and power play, and we identified Marian Gaborik as the player we wanted,’’ Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. “He has been an elite goal scorer in this league for many years and we are very excited to have him.’’
Gaborik has been disappointing this season, his fourth with the Rangers, as he has only nine goals and 19 points in 35 games while shuttling between various lines. He didn’t score in his final five games with New York and notched only two goals and five assists in the past 22.
Gaborik had two 40- goal campaigns in three- plus seasons after signing with the Rangers as a free agent in July 2009.
He netted 42 goals in 200910 and 41 last season when he played in all 82 games. He was limited to 22 goals and 62 games in the 2010- 11 season because of injury.
Gaborik had six goals and seven assists in 25 playoff games with New York over two years, including last season when the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference finals.
Gaborik was hampered by a shoulder injury during the playoffs that required surgery during the off- season. Including eight seasons with the Minnesota Wild, the 31- year- old Gaborik has 333 goals and 333 assists in 757 career NHL games.
The deal will give the Rangers much- needed salary relief. Gaborik carries a $ 7.5 million cap hit this season and next, the final year of his contract.
The added flexibility could help New York re- sign the newly acquired Clowe, who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. Brassard has seven goals and 18 points in 34 games this season, and Dorsett posted three goals and six assists in 24 games before he broke his collarbone on March 7 in a game against Vancouver.
Dorsett, who is on the injured list, could miss the rest of the season.
In 280 NHL games, all with Columbus, Dorsett has 27 goals and 38 assists. He led the league with 235 penalty minutes last season, but also set career highs with 12 goals, 20 points, 137 shots, while playing in 77 games.
The 22- year- old Delisle was the Blue Jackets’ third pick, 107th overall, in the 2008 draft. Parlett, 23, was signed as a free agent by the Rangers in June 2011. He had six goals and 22 assists in 67 games with Connecticut this season.