Or is it just a quick start?

I'm thinking it's smoke and mirrors. The Rags will cool off.

Here's what the poll at ESPN.com has revealed the fans think:

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Wheelhouse

Inasmuch as Gaborik stays healthy - Yes. He's the lynch-pin and the glue that opens up the opportunities for others to score, and gives this team so much more dimension than they would otherwise have.

Should he suffer an injury, this team may well revert to the "pretenders" they were, over the past couple of seasons.

I'm not going to dismiss Tortorella's hard-nosed strategy to whip the team into shape, but the scoring, and the scoring-depth resulting from Gaborik and the threat he poses, seem far more relevent to their success.

Without him, they become so much more "average".

I think they're an alright team. A good team as long as Gaborik stays healthy.

Wait until Gaborik tweaks his groin again...

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

The rags are a good team, and like everyone else has said it is all dependant on Gaborik staying healty.

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They have good goaltending, decent forward depth, solid d. All depends on if they continue to have that chemistry and determination that they have shown early on. They should slide into a playoff spot pretty easy, but it all depends on Gaborik from there. If he's healthy they show up big and scare some people. If he's injured its the same old 1st/2nd round knockout as every year.

mmmm, nahhhh...

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"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hockey Night in Buffalo

Anyone wishing we had Kotalik back?

I'll crap my pants if he scores more goals than Thomas this season

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"I don't feel like Satan, but I am to them"
Neil Young

Kentucky, wtf?

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Is he back on a line with Drury? I should do the right thing and pass the Kotalik goal song to the Rags forums

CV said it best...Kentucky, WTF?

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mechaphil

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Kentucky. What on earth. I can't stop laughing right now, and unfortunately I am in a cafe on campus...

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Miles to go before I sleep

‎"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."
-Khalil Gibran

That was a huge reason I think they got him, he had his best year with Drury so mind as well play them together again.

Seems like it is doing wonders for him. For now at least.

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that and the refs were calling penalties like madmen that season...and Kotes got a lot of those goals on the power play.

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"...they came down into the stands and asked if I knew how to do play by play. I said...No. But. I'll take a shot at it if you want".- Rick Jeanneret

True that.

Sweet got my 100th post.

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I thought that point was well illustrated tonight.

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Man, the MSG announcers couldn't stop loving Kotalik. He has been good for them so far, though. Cannot wait for him to get lazy...

They find her adorable; for now...................

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"I'll rap you with my cane; you pencil necked geek!!"

-Bowler, imitating Freddy Blassie, at the very first M & G.

Wasn't he really good for us in the beginning of last season also?

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Indeed he was, Skyline. That's OK, though...it's 7 games into an 82-game season. He has plenty of time to show his true colors. I can't wait to see the bile-filled reaction when his production tapers off like usual but he's still making, what, 3 million. Gonna be priceless.

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mechaphil