If there were a sight stranger than the Rangers actually on the ice for their first sanctioned team practice after all these months of being locked out, it was Marian Gaborik lining up on the left side.
And as Gaborik told The Post, that’s where he anticipates opening the season Saturday night in Boston after an 11-year NHL career spent all but exclusively on right wing.
“Torts [coach John Tortorella] told me that’s where he’d like to see me, so I’m going to prepare and practice at left wing,” said Gaborik, whose 41 goals last season were third most in the NHL behind Steven Stamkos’ 60 and Evgeni Malkin’s 50.
“There’s definitely going to be an adjustment, especially in our own zone and with wall play, so I’ll work on that whenever I get the chance.”
Gaborik, a left-hand shot, has played the left side for Slovakia in the Olympics. He started one game at left wing in three seasons as a Ranger, on Jan. 30, 2010 in Phoenix, with Vinny Prospal in the middle and Ryan Callahan on the right. When the Blueshirts fell behind 3-0 after the first period, the experiment ended. Gaborik shifted back to the right on a unit with Prospal and Erik Christensen for the remainder of what became a 3-2 defeat.
“I like shooting from the left side,” Gaborik said. “I feel very comfortable with my shot from [the left wing circle], so that could be an advantage.
“Also, if I’m playing with Step [Derek Stepan], it’s good that his first instinct as a right-hander is to move the puck on his forehand to the left side.”
If Tortorella likes enough of what he sees from Gaborik this week, No. 10 will likely open with Stepan — his partner in the middle for 60 games last season — and Callahan while Brad Richards, out yesterday with the flu, skates between Carl Hagelin on the left and Rick Nash on the right.
The Rangers always have the option of creating a power first line with Richards, Nash (on the left) and Gaborik, but the coach not only likes Hagelin’s speed with Richards, but splitting Gaborik and Nash at least in theory diversifies the attack.
“If Rick and I are on different lines, it makes it a lot more difficult for opposing coaches to match their defense against us,” Gaborik said. “If moving to the left makes us a more dangerous team, I’m all for it.”
Gaborik said he is fully healed from the June 6 surgery he underwent to repair a torn right labrum suffered midway through the first round of the playoffs against the Senators and through which he labored in subsequent series against the Capitals and Devils.
“Everything feels good, but the real test starts now,” Gaborik said. “I feel pretty confident, though; I’m not holding back or hesitating from going in traffic because I’m trying to protect the shoulder.”
When Gaborik arrived as a free agent from Minnesota, he spent a fair amount of the 2009 camp off the ice, attempting to protect against a history of hip and core injuries. That has not been the case since.
“From the first day he came here to the way it is now, Gabby has changed,” Tortorella said. “He has a different mentality. And he’s still growing as a player.”
Perhaps even sprouting at age 32 (33 next month) as a left wing.