Marian Gaborik sustained a right shoulder injury, which will require surgery on Wednesday and up to six months of rehab, during the third game of the Rangers’ first-round playoff series against Ottawa in taking a hit behind the net. Nevertheless, the winger refused to use the torn labrum as a crutch for his one-goal output in the conference finals against the Devils.
“It was there, so it affected me, but I don’t want that to be an excuse,” said Gaborik, who learned of the diagnosis after having an MRI exam on Tuesday, on a conference call from his home in Slovakia. “It was just weak. … I had no power and my shot wasn’t there, but I still could have played better.
“I tried to put it aside and just play through it. Everybody is banged up at that point. I just tried not to think about it.”
Gaborik, who could miss the first two months of the 2012-13 season if it starts as scheduled in October (but could miss no time at all if a labor dispute significantly delays the opener), played in all 102 regular-season and playoff games after being sidelined by injuries for at least 15 games in five of his first 10 NHL seasons.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating,” said Gaborik, who will return to New York for the surgery, which will be performed by club physicians Dr. Andrew Feldman and Dr. Tony Maddalo, and then remain here for at least the early stages of his rehab. “Five [or six] months is the theory, but the doctors will know better when they go in and can see it better.
“I’m going to try to do everything I can to get back.”
Gaborik finished third in the NHL with 41 goals during the regular season, trailing Steven Stamkos (60) and Evgeni Malkin (50). The 30-year-old winger finished third on the Rangers with 11 points (5-6) in the playoffs, getting one goal apiece against the Senators and Devils while scoring three against the Capitals, including the Game 3 triple-overtime winner.
“I kept getting treatment for it, tried not to think about it and tried to play the best I could according to the situation,” Gaborik said. “The [training staff] really did a good job.”
The injury and uncertainty regarding the start of the season will complicate the offseason for Rangers general manager Glen Sather, who is on the lookout to add offensive punch to his team, which scored 43 goals in 20 playoff games.
