The NYR Facts Of Life: #86 Wojtek Wolski

For each player who suited up in a Blueshirt this season we will take the good, we will take the bad and take them both and see what we have. And this time around we started with the high numbers and are up to the second #86, Wojtek Wolski.

#86's #s: 37 games, 6 goals, 13 assists, +12, 8 PIM.

Take the good: Wolski scored the game-tying goal to force overtime against Carolina and listened to Marty Biron to win it in the shootout. Wolski had the lone goal in my favourite game of the season, the 1-0 win over Vancouver. He had the lone goal in my most loathed game of the season, the 3-1 loss in Game 5 vs. the Caps. And he assisted on the two Prospal goals that sparked the unlikely comeback against the Bruins.

Take the bad: Wolski had 18 points in the 18 games after his trade from Colorado to Phoenix last season and was a force for the Yotes in the playoffs. He had 19 points in 36 games after his trade to NY and was a nonfactor against the Caps. Wolski's inconsistencies resulted in a wild variation in ice time - he went from a low of 7:43 to a high of 21:22. He was often utterly invisible when he was on the ice and he added very little when included on the power play - just three of his 19 points came with the man advantage. He had goal droughts of 10 and 17 games.

Take them both and then we have: Wolski was the same maddening talent that tortured Colorado fans and drove Don Maloney to deal him away. He wasn't grossly incompetent in his own end but he was not a physical player in the least. All of that adds up to the Pole being a prime candidate to be bought out or traded away before next season. But no matter what, his tenure was a success - it meant the Rozsival era was over.