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The Rangers Have Found a First Line
By Jeff Freier on October 14th, 2009 12:18 PM |
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The season is still very early, but it looks like the Rangers have found themselves a legitimate first line. Marian Gaborik, Brandon Dubinsky and Vinny Prospal fit together like other great trios of the past – the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, the Mod Squad, Richie, Ralph and Potsie, Cream and, of course, Charlie’s Angels (well, maybe not them – or any of the others come to think of it).
Gaborik is the first top-talent game-changer the Rangers have had since the days of Jaromir Jagr (seems like a long time ago now, doesn’t it?). But Jagr was finicky and quirky, and had trouble fitting with other linemates (except Michael Nylander). Gaborik, Dubinsky and Prospal have clicked since game one. And they’re producing on a nightly basis. Gaborik is all he was cracked up to be (I’m crossing my fingers that he doesn’t get injured as I write this), netting five goals to go along with four assists in six games. He has a point in every game, and goals in four of them. Prospal has a point in the team’s last five games, and is standing at a goal and six assists so far. Dubinsky has six points in six games (two goals, four assists).
With scoring coming from up and down the roster – Ales Kotalik, Sean Avery, Dan Girardi, Michael Del Zotto - there’s no need to break this line up and spread them across two or three lines. They’re dangerous every time they step on the ice. Gaborik is a matchup nightmare for the opposition coach, Prospal’s the smooth playmaker and Dubi does the dirty work. And they’re not a liability on the defensive side, as Gaborik is plus-7, Dubinsky plus-7 and Prospal plus-5.
Now all they need is a name. There was the old French Connection line, the Kraut line, the Legion of Doom and, of course, the Rangers’ own GAG line. How about the BMV line (first name initials)? Nah, too much like DMV, and whenever they’re on the ice, people will associate them with standing in line while getting frustrated and angry. Two Czechs and a Yank? Two Czechs and a Mate? Nope, too sitcom-y. The Duborikal line? Sounds cool and sinister, but it also seems like it could be a medicine you’d take for fibromyalgia. The New and Improved GAG line? Too long. Brandon, Vaclav and Marian? Too much like Peter, Paul and Mary. Any ideas? Comment below, and whoever comes up with the best name will win a case of Duborikal.
There are currently 3 responses to “The Rangers Have Found a First Line”
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How about the ‘Pray Gaborik Doesn’t Get Hurt and Ruin All of this’ line. I know I know, it’s too long and not catchy. But it’s true and will work until we think of something better.
Not saying you feel this way, Rob – I’m just venting for a minute. All the talk from the preseason pundits ranked the Rangers toward the bottom of the league and made an absolute mountain out of Gaborik’s injury history. It was – and is – complete nonsense. The man played just 48 games for Minnesota in 06-07 and still managed a 30-goal, 66-point season. I don’t care how many games Gaborik is out of the lineup, I just care about how many clutch goals he piles up while he’s in there. The team is 6-1 and Gaborik’s got six goals already. He could miss the next two weeks with a hang nail, the team could lose every game in his absence, and they’d still be hovering around .500. If you’re having a conversation about the postseason, then yes, injuries are crucial. If he plays the team into 1st place and then is hurt for the first round, that’ll be painful to swallow. But you have to get to the postseason before you can worry about advancing, and the notion that this Ranger team is a bottom wrung competitor was idiocy from the get-go. In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I hated Jaromir Jagr during his entire time in New York, and having said that, this 2009-2010 Rangers squad is the best we’ve had since the lock out.
You’re right. I think a lot of people buried the Rangers early and that was wrong of them to do. You are also right that if he misses time they’ll probably still make the playoffs and it’ll be ok. But he is an injury risk and if he misses time during the playoffs there is a big lack of fire power. They would revert back to last year’s team which wasn’t very exciting.