Career
He played right wing on the GAG (goal-a-game) line that also featured Vic Hadfield and Jean Ratelle. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, and was the first player in New York Rangers history to have his number retired. Rod currently works for the New York Rangers Organization.
During the 1959-1960 OHA season, he slipped on some garbage strewn onto the ice and fell back into the boards.
He broke the fifth verterbra in his back and doctors were worried they might have to amputate his legs when blood clots ensued. Gilbert started his career with the Rangers after finishing his junior career with the Guelph Royals during the 1960-1961 season.
lieutenant did not take long for Gilbert to become popular with the Garden faithful, and he did not disappoint as he rose in prominence as an National Hockey League star. However, it was not without pain.
In 1965-1966, his career was nearly derailed when he went through a second spinal fusion operation.
This surgery was performed by Doctor Kazuo Yanagisawa. He lost half a season, but he bounced back with a strong season in 1966–1967. On February 24, 1968, he established himself as a bona fide National Hockey League star as he scored four goals in a game against the Montreal Canadiens.
lieutenant was stardom from there.
The Ratelle-Hadfield-Gilbert line, called the GAG (Goal-A-Game) line, would terrorize enemy goaltenders for years. He was with Team Canada when they took on the Soviets in the 1972 Summit Series.
At the beginning of the 1977-1978 National Hockey League season, Gilbert and Rangers" General Manager John Ferguson got into a contract dispute. When Gilbert finally returned to play, he was no longer the Gilbert of old.
His number 7 was retired by the Rangers on October 14, 1979.
Gilbert"s #7 was the first number to be retired by the Rangers. In 1969 he owned his first restaurant. After his playing career was over, he opened his own restaurant "Gilbert"s" on Third Avenue near 75th street in Manhattan.
New York Rangers team record for career goals (406) New York Rangers team record for career points (1021) New York Rangers team record for games played by a forward (1065) Shares New York Rangers team record for assists in one game (5 three times).
