Finding Marian Gaborik's soulmate

Plugging Holes - New York Rangers

The Hole: A complement for Gaborik

New York struggled to get adequate scoring all season long. In fact, without the offseason addition of Marian Gaborik -- who was involved in 39 percent of all Rangers goals -- the team would have been vying for the title of worst offensive team in the NHL. Considering that Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan are the next best forwards on the roster, the drop-off after Gaborik is precipitous -- no other Ranger exceeded 20 goals or 44 points.

It goes without saying that GM Glen Sather should add quality top six forwards to the squad. But to maximize Gaborik's effectiveness, the Rangers should acquire a crafty, playmaking center to draw defensive attention away from their world class finisher.

To get the fix, the stats and E.J. Hradek's perspective on the suggested move, you must be an ESPN Insider. Sign up today to get access to free agent rumors, draft news and more.

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E.J. Hradek

Senior Writer, ESPN The Magazine

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E.J. Hradek is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine, joining the staff prior to its launch in 1998. He began covering hockey as a writer/editor for Hockey Illustrated in 1989.