Marian Gaborik and Erik Christensen joined the informal skating sessions today with around twenty three other Rangers and Ranger prospects. Also news today that Marc Staal and the Rangers are once again talking.

Which seems like a perfect segue to today’s Ranger Countdown: Brandon Dubinsky.

Player Profile
Last season at this time, Brandon Dubinsky was sitting out awaiting a deal to be struck with the Rangers. The then 23 year old winger would end up missing about half of the preseason before a two year deal was finally struck.

While it was a positive that he managed the team for at least part of camp, it was far from an ideal situation for a player going into his third full season. He registered just three goals in his first eighteen games of the season, before a hand injury November 7th in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames saw Dubinsky sit out the next thirteen.

Ultimately the break seemed to help more than hurt Dubinsky, who’d go on to set career highs for goals (20), points (44), plus/minus (+9), power play goals (6) and short handed goals (2). It perhaps also helped that he was moved over to the left wing, and had the opportunity to focus a little more on scoring and working along the boards, that attempting to setup his linemates.

Even with the improved statistics, there were those of us who expected a little more for the 6-1 205lb Alaska native. Dubinsky continues to search for consistency, particularly on offense, and you get the sense that he could put up 60-70 points, and maybe 25-30 goals along the way with the right linemates.

That may not happen this time round, with Vinny Prospal and Alexander Frolov appearing to be destined to play on the top line with Marian Gaborik. Instead Dubinsky will likely have to toil with someone like Erik Christensen, Todd White or Artem Anismov as his center, with either Chris Drury or Ryan Callahan likely to be on the opposite wing.

Dubinsky is also likely to be relegated to the second PP unit, which will further impact his ability to put up bigger numbers. Of course a key injury, or some struggling team offense and everything could change.

This is also a contract year for number 17 and he has the opportunity to greatly increase his salary from $1.5M that he’ll earn this year, though he’ll have to compete for dollars with Callahan, Anisimov and Matt Gilroy, as well as possibly also with Prospal, Frolov, Tim Kennedy, Brian Boyle, Todd White and Steve Eminger – all of whom will be free agents at the end of the year.

2009-10 Statistics
Team: New York Rangers (NHL)
Stats: 20 goals, 24 assists and 54 penalty minutes in 69 games

Prediction
Team: New York Rangers (NHL)
Stats: 22 goals, 30 assists and 75 penalty minutes in 75 games

Fun Fact
Dubinsky is one of eleven Alaskan born players who have played in the NHL, and is one of the four who’ve played or were drafted by the Rangers.