Gáborík spent eight seasons with the Wild from 2000 to 2009, becoming the team's all-time leading goal scorer, before signing with the New York Rangers in 2009.

That same season, he appeared in one Slovak Extraliga game with Dukla Trenčín's men's team, scoring a goal in his professional debut.

In 2002–03, Gáborík was named to his first NHL All-Star Game and won the fastest skater competition, lapping the rink in 13.713 seconds.

[2] He notched 30 goals for the second consecutive season, but more importantly helped lead the Wild to their first Stanley Cup playoffs appearance.

As NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Gáborík took another step forward, becoming a point-per-game player with 38 goals and 66 points in a 65-game season limited by a groin injury.

This made him the first player in Wild history to score five goals in a game, as well as the first NHLer since Sergei Fedorov of the Detroit Red Wings did so, 11 years earlier (on 26 December 1996, against the Washington Capitals).

[6] At mid-season, he was chosen to his second NHL All-Star Game and would go on to record personal bests of 42 goals, 41 assists and 83 points.

[8] His playing time with the Wild was limited in his final year after being sidelined early in the season with a lower-body injury[8] before undergoing hip surgery in January 2009.

He left the Wild after eight seasons as its last original player and as the club's all-time leader in goals, assists and points, all of which have since been surpassed by Mikko Koivu.

[14] Nearly a month into the season, he suffered a knee injury after colliding with former Ranger Petr Průcha in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes on 26 October 2009.

For the first time since Gáborík had joined the team, the Rangers qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 5–2 win over the rival New Jersey Devils in the final game of the season.

On the commencement of the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Gáborík, who remained idle during the labour dispute, struggled to recapture his previous scoring pace with New York, often overshadowed by the addition of Rick Nash to the Rangers.

[17] After scoring nine goals in 35 games, Gáborík was dealt at the trade deadline on 3 April 2013, along with minor league players Blake Parlett and Steven Delisle, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore and a sixth-round draft pick.

On 25 June 2014, Gáborík, as a pending free agent, opted to remain with the Kings in signing a seven-year, $34.125 million contract.

[26] However, two months later, on 13 February 2018, Gáborík and Nick Shore were traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Dion Phaneuf and Nate Thompson.

On 27 December 2020, Gáborík's rights were traded along with goaltender Anders Nilsson from Ottawa to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Braydon Coburn, forward Cédric Paquette, and a 2022 second-round draft pick.

In 2005, he opened his ice rink Arena Mariána Gáboríka in his native city of Trenčín at a personal cost of approximately 50 million Slovak koruna.