Marian Gaborik
Marian Gaborik was drafted by the Wild with the third overall pick in the first round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft after Rick DiPietro and Dany Heatley. Gaborik was the Wild's first ever draft pick and would become the superstar player in Minnesota, kick-starting a franchise. He showed promise during his rookie season, collecting 18 goals for the expansion Wild.
In Gaborik's second season, he notched his first 30 goal season and had a career high 67 points. He scored 30 goals the following year, but more importantly helped lead the Wild to its first ever playoff experience, capping off the season with a trip to the Western Conference Finals. Sadly for fans in Minnesota, injuries and contract issues have been the theme as of late with Gaborik. It wasn't until recently that a new contract was decided on that would keep the flashy winger in Minnesota for another 3 years.
Gaborik is a fast skater that can be dominated physically by tough opponents, but he's usually slippery enough to squeeze by tough defensive conditions. Known for turning any situation into a scoring chance, he will likely always lead the Wild in point production.
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