Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

UFA of the Day: Marian Gaborik

2014 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Four

Marian Gaborik

Getty Images

Check PHT each weekday for the first four weeks of June for a new pending unrestricted free agent of the day. Today’s UFA of the Day is…

Marian Gaborik

The best day of the year for Gaborik -- at least so far -- had to be March 5 when the Columbus Blue Jackets traded him to the Los Angeles Kings.

Before that, Gaborik was starting to look like a player on the decline. He was once again plagued by injuries this season and didn’t seem to fit in with the Blue Jackets during the brief periods of time that he was healthy. Combine that with a lackluster 2013 campaign and we started to have the makings of a trend.

The Kings have proven to be a great fit for him though as he was able to quickly connect with Anze Kopitar. He asserted himself as the missing element on a team that had struggled offensively and with the Kings just one victory away from claiming the Stanley Cup, Gaborik is arguably a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate with 13 goals and 21 points in 25 contests.

After all he’s done for them, the Kings would presumably love to have him back, but his success might have priced them out of the market, as they already have $62.3 million in cap space committed to 18 players, per LA Kings Insider.

He will still be a high-risk signing given his recent and historic health problems, but that was true when he hit the market in 2009 as well and that didn’t deter the Rangers from handing him a five-year, $37.5 million deal. Teams might seek a shorter contract length this time around given Gaborik’s age, but he will likely be looking for a similar annual salary, and he might get it given his status as one of the best skill forwards projected to be on the market.

Follow @RyanDadoun