Five Questions with Blue Shirt Banter: Part One

From time to time, we here at SB Nation NHL reach across the table to another site to find out what is going on in their neck of the woods. We weighed several options on how to pair off the sites, finally settling on the "Will you go with me to the prom" method, with site staff asking other sites to pair up and living through the gut wrenching agony of being turned down by the one girl you ever wanted in life telling you she is going to the prom with Johnny Olson.

Freaking Johnny Olson.*

Today, we handle questions one and two, because there simply was too much awesome for one day.

How did the Rangers fix Gaborik's groins so quickly? Bionics?

This was the big concern when the Rangers signed Gaborik. "How was his groin going to hold up?" "Why take such a big risk on such an injury prone player?" "How many games will Gaborik miss over his time in New York?"

Gaborik ended up passing every test with flying colors. He's played in 220 of a possible 246 games with the Rangers. The reason? Well, uhh, he got his hip fixed.

I don't want to come off as anti-Minnesota, but there is no way to answer this question without making the Wild look bad. Gaborik claimed that he had an injured hip throughout most of career in Minnesota, and when he approached the organization about surgery, they always told him no. As a result, he changed his skating style to accommodate the pain and that's why he kept hurting his groin.

You know the rest. His final year with the Wild he got the surgery, fixed his hip and now he is a machine. Again, I don't want to come off like an ass, but from my view that's how "we" fixed his groin.

Editor's note: I agree 100% with Joe here. The blame for Gaborik's health falls on HWSRN. Gaborik could have pushed the issue, but when the GM says no, players often listen. Most of the time, that is a bad decision when it comes to health issues.

We see a great deal of the small market vs big market talk in the NHL. As a fan of a team in the largest of markets, what goes through your mind when that topic is brought up?

I don't know if much of anything goes through my mind. Remember, the Rangers might be the biggest market in the NHL, but in New York they're simply not. The Yankees and Giants easily get more attention, as do the Knicks. So to me, the Rangers have a "small market" feel when it comes to New York.

In reality though, I'm thrilled to cover a team that plays in a large market. Every game is packed, the atmosphere is like nothing else and the city really does embrace the team. You'd never know the Rangers weren't on the back page most days with the way the team is treated in New York.

*I have no idea who Johnny Olson is.