Gaborik may return at end of Rangers' next homestand
Rangers winger Marian Gaborik celebrates a goal against the Islanders. (Mar. 24, 2010) Credit: AP
PHILADELPHIA - Could Marian Gaborik be back in action during the Rangers' next homestand? There's an outside chance.
Gaborik, whose left shoulder was separated by a boarding from Toronto's Colby Armstrong on Oct. 15, went through the entire game-day skate with his teammates Thursday for the first time since he was injured, stayed on ice for conditioning sprints and said he has a date in mind for his return.
"It's kind of tough to schedule a time frame, but I have a game in mind," he said, referring to the four-game homestand that begins Sunday and concludes Nov. 14 against the Edmonton Oilers. That seems the most reasonable date.
Gaborik, who scored 86 points last year, conceded that he hadn't talked to coach John Tortorella and that his shoulder still is weak, his shooting is 60 to 70 percent and he hasn't experienced any contact since the injury. "The contact will be the most important thing, the unexpected," said Gaborik, who plans to skate daily. "These are just controlled drills. You never know what's going to happen when you go in the corner."
He insisted, however, that he doesn't need to feel 100 percent before returning. "I'm sure I'm going to feel it for a while, but as long as I can play . . . Today was a pretty hard day and I felt good out there, shooting-wise . . . scored a couple goals."
Drury clarifies his injury
Chris Drury, on injured reserve, clarified his injury: His healed, but weakened, left index finger was re-broken almost four weeks later, in the same spot, in a collision with Michal Rozsival on Oct. 15, and doctors also found a crack nearby.
"If it's not broken in camp [by blocking a shot], it's not breaking again," said Drury, who is limited to off-ice workouts and is several weeks away from returning. "It wasn't that much of an impact. It was on the non-displaced break, now it's displaced, and off of that, there was a new crack. By no means did I rush back, and nobody rushed me back; it was three days from four weeks. It was flukey."
Prospal trying to be patient
The third sidelined Ranger, Vinny Prospal, watched practice from the bench in street clothes. His knee surgery was two weeks ago and he probably is out another five or six weeks. "It's not something I envisioned before the season," he said. "I have to be patient. But it's good to be with the guys. It was a little lonely in the training center."
