3ITB’s Top 33 Wild Players of All Time – #1

Kenney

1. Marian Gaborik – RW

8 Seasons,  502 Games,  219 Goals,  218 Assists,  437 Points

Our number 1 pick in the MN Wild top 33 was the number 1 draft pick by the MN Wild in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He was drafted number 3 overall with only Rick DiPietro and Dany Heatley ahead of him. As a rookie, Gaborik netted 18 goals and 36 points in the Wild’s very first season. His second year, saw his first 30 goal season leading the defense minded MN Wild in goals and second in points behind Andrew Brunette.

Although missing games due to lower body issues, Gaborik continued to be one of the Wild’s top scorers, including a 6 point, 5 goal game, against, what would be his next team, the New York Rangers. His last season with the Wild, 2008-09 he only managed to play in 17 games due to continual groin issues.

Gaborik represented the MN Wild in the 2003 and 2008 NHL All-Star games, as well as the New York Rangers in 2012 where he was also named the MVP. In 2014, he won the Stanley Cup with the LA Kings. He still holds the top spot in goals for the Wild with 219 and second in points with 437, surpassed only by Mikko Koivu .

Previously on our list:

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