Blue Jackets add Gaborik from Rangers in trade

Blue Jackets add Gaborik from Rangers in trade

Marian Gaborik's tumultuous time with the New York Rangers and coach John Tortorella came to an end Wednesday when the formerly prolific goal-scorer waived his no-trade clause and accepted a deal that sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. The Rangers reportedly added some much-needed depth players, picking up forwards Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett along with defenseman John Moore. The Rangers sent back minor-league defensemen Steven Delisle, acquired from Columbus in the Rick Nash trade this summer, and Blake Parlett in an effort to get to the 50-contract limit. Gaborik gives the Blue Jackets, ranked 29th in goals per game, a legitimate offensive threat, although he has struggled this season since undergoing shoulder surgery this summer. The 31-year-old has nine goals in 35 games this season and two in his past 22 contests, but if he finds his game, he could push the Blue Jackets, in 11th place in the Western Conference and one point back of eighth, into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite a pair of 40-goal seasons since signing a five-year, $37.5 million contract in the summer of 2009, Gaborik and Tortorella did not mesh well. Tortorella benched Gaborik several times during games for defensive lapses, perhaps most famously during the third period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year against the New Jersey Devils with the Rangers down a goal in a contest they would eventually lose. It was five days ago in Carleton, Ontario, with the Rangers preparing to face the Ottawa Senators that Tortorella and Gaborik had a 10-minute on-ice conversation. Whatever was said did nothing to break Gaborik out of his funk; he did not produce a point in the three games that followed. The addition of forward Ryane Clowe from the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday made Gaborik and his $7.5 million salary-cap hit through next season expendable and allowed the Rangers to bolster their depth. The Rangers have received next to nothing offensively from their bottom-six forwards, and Brassard should be an upgrade. The 25-year-old has seven goals and 18 points in 25 games and likely will center the Rangers' third line. Brassard was the sixth pick in the 2006 NHL Draft and will become a restricted free agent after the season. Dorsett, who is out for the remainder of the regular season but could be back in the postseason, should provide a boost on the fourth line and fill the role played by Brandon Prust, who left via free agency this past offseason. Dorsett, 26, is a gritty, tough player who can kill penalties, but he was lost for the season with a broken collarbone on March 7. Moore is 22 years old and could provide some help with the Rangers' bottom defense pairing. The Rangers' defensive depth took a hit with the loss of Marc Staal to an eye injury March 5 and resulted in 38-year-old Roman Hamrlik being claimed off waivers the following day.

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