The only two players who have done it in the past decade are named Lindros and Lecavalier. His legs, primarily. Speed kills, and Gaborik's game is predicated on his great wheels. He simply plays the game at a faster tempo than everyone else, and he's also very instinctive at the offensive end, knowing exactly when to slip into cracks of open ice in good scoring territory at just the right moment. He's got that separation gear.
Some guys can skate all day and never get anything accomplished.
Like many Europeans, he's advanced in that area because he plays a lot of tennis, squash, and soccer in the off-season. Gaborik also strives to improve his greatest asset by working with an athletic trainer on drills designed specifically to increase explosion, acceleration, and leg drive. Red Line spoke with Gaborik in Toronto, where he was waiting for the NHL's physical testing and personal interview sessions to begin in early June. And it's clear he knows what to expect when he comes to North America next season. After the testing, I'm going to Montreal to train with a strength and conditioning coach until the draft.