It was actually good (!)

We haven't found the time to say this before - but we were really surprised and pleased at how well the Rangers handled the Gaborik signing.

Get this - at the exact moment Marian Gaborik became a free agent - Midnight here and 6pm in Slovakia (where Gaborik was at the time) his doorbell rang. It was a messenger from the New York Rangers with a DVD presentation - a sales pitched aimed specifically at Marion.

He was impressed. "It was really important they went after me this way," he said during a conference call with the press on Thursday. "It was unbelievable"

And that wasn't all - he soon received a phone call from Chris Drury - inviting him to accept the Rangers offer. And the Rangers weren't done yet. They arranged for several ex-Rangers from Gaborik's home country of the Czech Republic to call and talk up our local hockey club.

After that full court press - or should we say - after that odd man rush Gaborik was convinced.

So, whatever you may think about Glen Sather and the Rangers past moves - they did somethings really well this offseason.

First that miracle with the removal of Scott Gomez's unmovable contract - then getting some value in return - and then grabbing Gaborik.

I never thought I'd ever say this about Sather, but:

Good job fellas!