Here are his stats after tonights loss to Atlanta.
GP G A P
Ales Kotalik 19 6 11 17 -7

Gaborik has really helped his game out with his style of play.
I was hoping Buffalo would pick up Gaborik, the question I am asking to everyone is this:

If Gaborik had come to Buffalo, what player do you feel would have benefitted the most and what line combination do you think would have been the most productive with Gaborik on it?

Any thoughts on this peeps?

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

You copied Kots' stats, dude. And fuck, are those really his stats? Motherfucker.

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mechaphil

Ya, I did, he plays on Gaboriks line. Its clear playing with Gab's has been just huge for him. I was attempting to point out how it helped him to play with Gab's then I asked the questions I asked.
Bare in mind, his -7 is still there, so defensively he is still a bust, but his offensive numbers have clearly been affected by who he is playing with. So the questions aren't necessarily on overall gameplay but more on offensive production.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I don't know. For me the first thing that comes to mind about Gaborik is that $7.5 million salary cap hit. Then we'd have to figure out who to get rid of to stay cap healthy. I'm glad we didn't get him.

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

Gaborik is a third liner in NY? I thought Kots was playing third line...don't they both play RW?

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mechaphil

I thought of that to BagBoy, First 2 names that come to mind in a trade would be Pomminville and Lydman/Tallinder or Hecht. Not that they would want Hecht, but he did play well with Drury and so did Pomminville.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

I've watched several Rangers games, I see Gab's on the R with Kots on the L and Kots plays the point on the PP alot.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

That's good to know, Slesh...I honestly didn't know where he was playing. Who is their center, Prospal?

Yea, no wonder Kotalik is having a career season.

I could see Gaborik playing with Vanek and Connolly on our top line and those three totally wrecking everything. But that's all just a crazy dream we've all head

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mechaphil

My thoughts exactly. He would instantly boost that line to stardom.
And ya, Prospal is centering. I just watched tonights game and they were together again.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Dubinsky was centering Gaborik, but I don't think he has been lately really falling off the pace he started the season with.

If we had gotten Gaborik he'd be the number one RW playing with Vanek, Roy/Connolly, Gaborik.

I think it would have rejuvenated Vanek so far, I mean a slow start for Vanek instead of a cold finish I hope from him.

It would be a much better RAV line. You could call it the GRV line, meaning the Grave line, because they'd be burying the puck into the net so often.

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I will return to comment when Gabby injures his groin.

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Wheelhouse

Dubinsky is out 4-6 weeks, with a broken hand:

New York Daily News

My Cousins girlfriends sisters brother in laws mechanics Son says that Gabby did sex addiction rehab this summer and that injury should'nt return unless he relapses

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

Once a sex addict, always a sex addict!

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Wheelhouse

Amen to that, praise the lord and pass the double dong, my girl's bringin a friend over tonight

Poor Gab's, if he only knew what type of conversations his name was abused in

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

A lot of his points come on the PP, keep in mind.

Well then, thats perfect cause thats just the area we appear to be lacking in here in Buffalo, make the trade I say, Send Pommers, Hecht/Tallinder/Lydman and a prospect/pick over to the Rangers for him. Setup Vanek - Roy/Connolly - Gaborik or McArthur - Roy/Connoly - Gaborik. What ever combo works.

If we gave Pommers (23.5 goals avg over 4 seasons if he gets 20 this season, which he is on pace for)
Dumped a defenseman since we have enough in the pipeline to replace Lydman or Tallinder
and Gave a pick and/or prospect or 2 picks (1 = 3rd or 4th rounder)

This would most certainly improve the Sabres to cup contenders in my opinion.

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Lord Stanley's Cup is what its all about.
Mr. Pegula, your destiny awaits you sir.

We aren't getting Gaborik. The Rangers took the gamble on him to stay healthy, because they have needed offense the past few years.

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No. Kotalik does not play on Gaborik's line, ever...Gaborik is on the first line, Kotalik shuffles between the 3rd and 4th line. The only time they are on the ice together is when Kotalik is put on the point for the first unit PP, which doesnt always happen.

He's a -7 BECAUSE he's on the lower lines. Not a bust. He has been a great pickup for the Rangers, I don't know a single fan who has a complaint about him other than the obvious, "he shoots wide way too much".

And just to add an interesting fact...Look at Gabby's stats from the 17 games he played last year and the 18 he's played so far this year. They are almost the same.

Also, for what it's worth, in those 35 games he has 26 goals and 48 points. They guy is a beast.

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GABY10

Playing on the lower lines doesn't mean your +/- should be terrible.

Out of our third and fourth line, only 2 players are a minus, in our top 6 forwards we have two players as a -.

Half the time your +/- is a + on the lower lines, and most likely you're a minus on the top two lines, or for some players.

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