Now before our friends in Minnesota get all sarcastic and question whether or not it was actually Gabby looking all googly-eyed at a stack of money, let's just clarify that indeed it was really the Geico Googly-Eyed Money character sharing the ice with the league's leading goal scorer.
Gaborik did not have any lines to speak during the commercial shoot. Instead he just did what an NHL sniper does: shoot the puck, though he did have some funny visual moments, as well.
The funniest moment to me came after Gabby had already finished his part and headed to the locker room. Six men, including two with cameras, surrounded one of the goals and focused in on the famous Googly-Eyed Money seated atop the net. Clearly Gaborik was not the biggest star in the commercial.
By the way, the money---which has gained much fame by appearing in Geico ads throughout the years---has a name. It is "Cash". Not so original, but a name nonetheless. And it is transported in its own sturdy metal case. That is because there is only one Cash. No joke. The same Cash appears in all of the commercials. There is no understudy. Can't make this stuff up.
Nonetheless, I digress. Gaborik's Geico spot will run in-arena only at Madison Square Garden, so don't look for it on TV. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if it ended up on YouTube one of these days.
By the way, in a Geico/NHL-related story: Andrew Gross from The Record in New Jersey was telling me today that Geico also filmed a commercial after a Flyers practice, except in this one the stars were the Geico Cavemen characters.
Well apparently no one informed Scott Hartnell about the shoot, and after practice someone ushered the two cavemen into the locker room and told Hartnell that some of his relatives were in town and wanted to say hi! The long-haired Hartnell took it all in good fun, or so I am told.
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TiVo Reminder: Tonight at 8:00 Eastern Time tune in on the NHL Network here in the States to catch the United States battle Canada in the Gold Medal game at the World Junior Championships in Saskatoon. This is a rematch of Canada's dramatic comeback and subsequent 5-4 shootout victory earlier in this tournament back on New Year's Eve.
If you are a Rangers fan, watch two of the organization's top prospects---Chris Kreider and Derek Stepan---closely as they skate for the United States. They are both having marvelous tournaments, so far. Kreider, the Rangers' top pick in the 2009 draft, has scored five goals, which is tied for fourth most in the tourny. And Stepan, Team USA's captain and the Rangers' second round pick in 2008, leads all WJC skaters with 11 points and 8 assists.
Ryan Bourque, the club's third rounder in '09, also plays for the US, and has notched a pair of assists, so far.
I'd argue that this international competition is far more imprtant to the Rangers organization and future than Chris Drury and Ryan Callahan's participation for Team USA in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Tune in and check it out tonight.
Does Cash get his own dressing room too?
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