The strong stride was evident in Marian Gaborik’s skating. So was the dose of playfulness in his greeting to reporters.
“It’s been a long time,” Gaborik said.
Indeed, Gaborik’s recovery from an April procedure on his left knee has now stretched into mid-November, and it wasn’t until Saturday that he took his first full practice with the Kings.
“That’s the first time he’s skated with the team in six weeks,” Kings coach John Stevens said. “It was great that he was with the team. I think it was great for him.