AFTER FURTHER REVIEW ��� KURTIS GABRIEL
Jun 2, 2016AFTER FURTHER REVIEW – KURTIS GABRIEL
If you ask Iowa Wild fans who their favorite player is, don’t be surprised if Kurtis Gabriel’s name gets tossed around. Over the last two plus seasons, Gabriel has become one of the fan favorites with his physical play and exceptional community involvement. This year, Wild fans saw Gabriel make big strides on the ice – earning his first NHL call up, making his NHL debut in the regular season and then again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Statistically speaking, his numbers were not much different than his rookie campaign in 2014-15 that saw him score seven goals and total 16 points in 67 games. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder scored six goals and totaled 10 points in 66 games in 2015-16. He also played in three regular season games with Minnesota and four Stanley Cup Playoff games.
It’s no secret that Gabriel isn’t going to be among the team leaders in points, but his impact can be felt the same way an opponent feels when the Ontario native hammers him into the boards with a fierce body check. Gabriel improved defensively in 2015-16, nearly cutting his plus-minus in half, going from a -17 to a -10. He also increased his penalty minutes slightly, going from 125 to 137.
He didn’t need much to move into the team’s top spot for the all-time lead in penalty minutes. Gabriel handedly moved ahead of Curt Gogol by the mid-point of the season. The 23-year old also now ranks fifth all-time on the team’s games played list.
Gabriel’s All-time Iowa Wild Numbers
Games Played: 141 (5th)
Goals: 15
Assists: 15
Points: 30
Penalty Minutes: 277 (1st all-time)
Shots on Goal: 133
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The future for Gabriel looks bright in St. Paul, especially once you factor in his four games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience in the spring of 2016. Despite Iowa fans wanting to see him in Des Moines, Gabriel is expected to provide a physical brand of hockey in Minnesota come 2016-17. Nothing is guaranteed in the business, with that said, I have little expectations of seeing Gabriel in Iowa moving forward.