Trading Gaborik?

First, sorry I haven't been posting as much.  Between the constant spamming of this blog's comments section, and ghostwriting stuff for others, I haven't had eagerness to post here as I once did.    That being said, the idea of trading Marian Gaborik has started popping up and I actually think it's going to happen.   Now, that doesn't mean I favor trading Gaborik, and would certainly demand a pro, a prospect and a 2013 first for Gabby, it just seems like that's what's going to happen.

There are a few reasons I find it inevitable.   First, he's their only big contract they can probably move with the least trouble.  Face it, Richards is an untradeable rock around the franchise, and Nash and Hank are just too valuable at this point.

Second, and this may not be fair, but the Rangers seem to have made a commitment to Torts, and Torts doesn't seem to value Gabby, or at least seems eager to blame him.   Whether Torts has earned this apparent commitment is debatable, but I think he'd be gone by now if they didn't think he'd get them a cup.

Third, they need cap help, and on ice help.    They should only be looking at C's and D's in any trade.   They have big issues at C because Richards hasn't played like Richards this year, and because Brian Boyle has played like Brian Boyle this year.   So we'd need a real 2 or three C who could push Boyle either down to the 4th line or into the Gabby deal (setting all family business at once is always fun).

They should also be looking a good defenseman in either the pro or the prospect part of any Gaborik deal.    The injury to Marc Staal has compounded the gap in their prospect line that was originally strained by the loss of Michael Sauer last year.  Staal should be back at some point this season, and they don't seem eager to rush Dylan McIlrath, who lost last year's development season to a knee injury.   Thus it would behoove them to pick up either a Sauer level guy as the lead piece or a tip top D prospect like the one they got in the Gomez trade:)  

Finally, the Rangers don't currently have a first rounder in what could be an historically significant round in terms of the ceilings of the players that will be available.   Trading Gaborik is probably their best chance of getting one.

So when all is said and done at the deadline, I expect the Rangers to trade Gabby for a 3 part package that brings up as pro, a prospect and a first.    I could see us including one of our many thirds in such a package, or maybe one of the non-former firsts  we have around the system (not St.Croix, either).  

In other Ranger thoughts: they stink, and they should recall Kreider, who's been going off.