Wild to Gaborik: This is where you want to be
Posted on August 17th, 2008 – 10:41 AMBy Michael Russo
OK, I’m back in the Twin Cities. Almost one month until training camp starts.
I talked to assistant GM Tom Lynn yesterday and here’s a story on management’s meeting with Marian Gaborik in Slovakia.
Unfortunately, Gaborik’s voice isn’t in the story, although, trust me, I’ve tried to get him and his agent for weeks. So keep in mind, this is one side.
But Lynn said at no point in the meeting did Gaborik tell the Wild he wanted to move on.
If he did, I think the Wild would let that be known simply to prepare its fan base that a trade is coming. At the end of the day, who knows if the Wild will be able to get Gaborik signed, but as of now, the Wild at least believes it’ll be able to sign him.
You can bet that one giant part of this meeting had to do with questions from Gaborik about the team’s inability to land a big free agent this summer and its inability to make a meaningful trade deadline acquisition the last two seasons.
The Wild gave Gaborik specifics on everything it tried to do, especially this summer and at the deadline. Gaborik knows the Wild went after Marian Hossa because he was involved in the recruitment. The Wild wanted guys like Kristian Huselius and Brendan Morrison, but they chose to go elsewhere. After that it was an under-supplied market.
Risebrough told Gaborik that the Wild went hard after a center at the deadline, especially Olli Jokinen, and I’ve since found out, Mats Sundin. The Wild thought it was going to land Peter Forsberg, and when he chose Colorado, it thought it had Jokinen. But at the last second, Florida decided not to trade him, and like at the Draft in June, the Wild wasn’t going to give up Mikko Koivu or James Sheppard to get him.
By the deadline, the only center traded of the glut of centers reportedly available that day was Sergei Fedorov, a player Doug Risebrough had no interest in. So in other words, teams decided to hold on to the centers (Bobby Holik, Jokinen, Robert Lang, etc.), which left the Wild with … Chris Simon only.
The Wild apparently gave Gaborik an inside-look at its future plans, and the fact owner Craig Leipold is more than willing to bring in players in future years of Gaborik’s potential contract. And a big part of the meeting was an attempt to sell Gaborik that he has a chance to grow with Koivu, Sheppard, Brent Burns, P-M Bouchard, Nick Schultz, Colton Gillies, etc.
Like I said, whether this was enough to get Gaborik to sign on the dotted line is another question we’ll soon find out.
As I’ve written a number of times, it’s definitely a risk to let Gaborik play in the final year of his deal. It would be a constant distraction, and if the Wild then couldn’t ink him again after it restarts negotiations after Jan. 1, if Gaborik is injured close to the deadline, the Wild could wind up getting squat for him.
74 Responses to "Wild to Gaborik: This is where you want to be"
The ball is clearly now in Gaborik’s court. The Wild have basically implied that it’s your call whether you leave or stay.
Hopefully, for the Wild and its’ legion of fans, he’ll stay. If he wants to leave, however, let’s hope he makes his mind up…real soon.
It would be unfair for the other players and the Wild fans to have to put up with the three-ring circuses that occurred last season with ossa in atlanta and with Olli Jokinen in South Florida. (Yes, it’s unfair to Wild management, also, but they are indeed management.)
Sorry, got ahead of myself…that should be ‘Hossa in Atlanta’…
If he did, I think the Wild would let that be known simply to prepare its fan base that a trade is coming.
Sounds like if a deal can’t be reached, a before the season trade is what DR prefers. Given the groin and the huge distration Russo noted, I am glad this appears to be the plan.
the Wild went hard after a center at the deadline, especially Olli Jokinen, and I’ve since found out, Mats Sundin.
Not sure Sundin agress to be traded to the Wild but good to know DR made that call.
By the deadline, the only center traded of the glut of centers reportedly available that day was Sergei Fedorov, a player Doug Risebrough had no interest in.
Still not sure what DR had against Fedorov for the remainder of the season. If Gabby liked him, this is a deal that probably should have been done.
Call or color me skeptical, but I have to see it to believe it, in terms of the Wild opening their purse strings beyond signing Gaborik, to bring in outside talent enough to annually make the team more than a hopeful “chemistry” lab, within which they hope to sign and keep Gaborik here in MN while surrounding him with a lot of “may someday be” talented players. His time is now. If or when he leaves, it’ll be akin to Garnett’s stint with the Puppies-a lot of wasted time, and time to start over.
It would be nice to hear something beyong the DR bits, and Louie Nanne trying to parrot the Wild’s “plans”. I thought Liepold was a lot more vocal when in Nashville-it might help fans to realize he is intent on having more success for this team, via spending the cash this organization has bankrolled since it came into being. Which they could have spent a part of to keep someone like Rolston, to whom they made verbal promises they chose not to keep, and have that done a lot lower price than he ended up getting, had they acted early. In other words, the honeymoon for this organization is possibly about to end…
Conversely-was it not the next offseason when a bigger group of “stars” become available?
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Chuck, I don’t know what verbal promises the Wild to Rolston. All they said after the season ended was that they were going to offer him a contract and they did. The initial amount was lower than what he eventually received but the Wild did offer him in the end, $15 million for 3 years. Rolston chose $20 million for 4 years.
From all the info I have read about Leipold, he never demanded a trade or sign specific players but he set a culture which allowed the GM to be more aggressive. That is what he is trying to do now with the Wild. To me, that is a good thing. The Wild for the first 5 years were on a strict low budget and not aggressive at all.
The purse strings are limited to the salary cap and we are close to it and still have two roster spots to fill with rookies. Their salaries will put us close to $54 million– $2 million shy of the $56.7 million cap. Since the 06-07 season, the Wild has been near or at the cap, so its not about spending. Its about who you spend that money on.
From the sounds of the article it seems everything went well. Of course it’s a one sided story from the Wild brass and they’ve told us one thing and done the opposite in the past. Hopefully Gabby is sold on what we can do in the future and signs within the next couple weeks… I’m not letting myself get too excited because I for one will be heartbroken if we have to trade him.
MG is a gifted offensive player who seems to be indicating that he wants to play on an offensive-minded (i.e. Eastern conference) team as he said at the All Star game. Miss him if he goes? You bet. Wish him well? You bet. Blame him? No way — after 7 seasons and 514 games you can’t say he hasn’t given the Wild a shot or that he hasn’t bought in to the plans of the coach and GM in the past. Even if he just remained neutral on the expiry of his contract when DR went over to meet with him, DR will have to shop him this season, especially the closer it gets to the deadline. Too bad.
I don’t think the point is that he isn’t scoring goals at a high rate right now - the question for Gaborik is whether he can score at an even higher rate in a more offensive system, as well as whether or not the team is really committed to improving. I’m sure he’s heard stories of who they tried to get and the plans to let young players grow together into a powerhouse before. He has to decide whether or not he thinks management is sincere, or if it’s the same song and dance he’s heard previously and, if he signs a long-term extension, he is looking back in a few years at a team that is still selling the future and not a consistent playoff team and several years of his career wasted on a non-contender.
I don’t think it will be an easy decision for him to decide whether or not to stay in Minnesota.
I also hope that MG decides to stay in MN. What puzzles me is why Lemaire limits MG’s ice time. I understand the injury concern, but after an injury free season, MG’s ice time must increase. If I am not mistaken,the article in the paper said MG was first in scoring per minutes played. So skate him!
Sunshine made some interesting points in the last thread.
To me, Burns, Koivu, Schultz, PMB, maybe Shephard, all bleed Wild colors.
As Sunshine pointed out, those players have gotten involved in the Twin Cities.
Gabby is more of a hired gun and you need them too, and I think those type of personalities are much more interchangable.
But, I think you build successful teams around the first type of player.
If you cannot sign Gabby, then you trade him for players who fill needs on the team.
So, I think if I was GM, my first priority would be to sign him. If that was not to be, then I would find a team who had some important dimension to add to our team. Because if Gabby wants to be elsewhere, he definitely is a marketable player.
Early season groin injury = an October trip to the warm ice in ATL, FLA and TB. Don’t risk it DR!
Outside of the MG’s groin issue, I don’t even have the wrong insight on the situation. However I can tell you this: the Wild’s minor league broadcast talent just took a step back:
Former Augsburg College goaltender Jason Shaver, 35, grandson of retired hall of fame former North Stars play-by-play voice Al Shaver and son of Gophers hockey play-by-play voice Wally Shaver, has been hired to do play-by-play for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. Last season, Jason broadcast for the Wild’s Houston Aeros team.
Sunshine,
It’s been reported by people closer than either of us (and not Sid) that the Wild told Rolston they’d take care of him when the time was right, due to situations that took place during the lockout year.
While I agree, he got a better deal, that they waited to do a deal meant no deal. Is he worth the money he got? I don’t think so, but-do the Wild have anyone with a better than average slapshot that knows how to bury the puck any which way? I know Rolston did.
In the meantime, there is good young talent on this team, and I wish the new signees well. I agree with you that “it’s all about who you spend money on”, and I see some bad choices made in prior years that doesn’t give me any confidence for the future. Nor that they can retain Gaborik, because he won’t want to be here, based on those bad choices.
Just because someone in the NHL does well against you, you don’t sign them. It’s his time to shine as a player in his time, and as well, it may be his chosen time to go.
My final thoughts on this matter are that, as someone who is old enough to remember the inauguaral season(s) of the North Stars, and a northern person with hockey in my blood, I love having pro hockey here.
But, as with Norm Greed moving the Stars, if need be, there are alternatives. We have the best high school hockey system in the states (even with a screwed up tournament format), and the Gophers, who play on a real rink, instead of in a band-box, which makes one think a hockey game breaks out once in awhile inside a cage match ring.
What the year’s lockout showed many of us is, “We can and will get along, with or without the Wild”. By screwing up upstairs more often, they make themselves and the NHL less significant, and more likely to fall off the edge of fan radar.
I worked at the Met Center in the mid-70’s, and got to see first-hand what an more than half empty arena looked like. It can happen in St. Paul as well, once the Wild loses star power. I don’t wish it on them, but I see the signs of arrogance that will come back and bite this organization. Once the suburban fan base chooses to stay home, they’re in {deep} trouble.
Chuck, I do not see arrogance nor do I see incompetance. I see mostly steady but not remarkable progress. And, I do see some unremarkable outcomes. That is pretty much the same with every team in professional sports.
But, I do agree with you that the public fan base is extremely fickle and if they believe the brass is not on their side, even if it is not true, it will show up in the attendance.
I also hope they do not get to the point of a half empty building ala the North Stars at times.
In the instance of the North Stars, I do not think it was the losing record so much as the did play with indifference quite a bit. I can excuse a team that is learning but never a team that does not seem to be trying.
I sure hope the Wild are going to be able to trade Gabby for decent value, since it is now obvious to all other teams that Gabby is not going to resign with the Wild.
And I like the core numbers of young guys they’ve taken the effort to keep, to compliment Gaborik. But’s he’s the marquee player, and likely the only one at this point.
Citing Louie Nanne, he’s talked about the offseason prep, talking to coaches, scouts et al, about the numbers of goals to be scored. Where can they be counted on to come from for this team? If you can’t find them on the roster, make the deals to get it done. Which is part of why I surmise they excised Parrish.
I watched Lemaire, Gainey, Risebrough et al play for the Canadiens and win multiple Cups. Maybe their time and type of chess playing has come and gone.
In the time of the Stars demise, the Stars had had a number of short playoff runs, and their initial glitter eventually wore off as the initial group of players aged, since many were older expansion team draftees, already in the league. They went through the doldrums, then built up through drafts (Bobby Smith, Broten, et al) and veteran signings (e.g. Jack Carlson) to go after it again in 1980-81.
More questions than answers here… if they aren’t going to sign MG, then get max value.
WRT…you hit the nail on the head.
We can bandy about all the shortcomings and greatness of Gaborik, but if he is not inclined to sign, trade him.
Before camp.
Before GTRCMBSHP.
Blah, blah, blah …. bored now. Look Gabby will either sign or he won’t, it’s not the end of the world as we know it either way.
55 Days until regular season games start. I really wish it was hockey season. That would give us more to talk about.
To trade Gabby the Wild will need to get with him to discuss a fair trade off. The Wild will give Gaborick the right to have a say in what team he goes to, and the Wild will know what the player’s price is for a long term deal to take place. The Wild won’t get what it needs to from a deal unless the other team knows it can sign Gaborick long term
You lose Gaborick and you lose that guy that can score in OT and get you the Win, and you lose a guy that can entertain the crowd as he has special qualities. The Wild can be a strong team without Gabby as it is led by a coach who will be armed with players suited for how he wants the team to play in 08-09
Mister Know it all
Gaborik doesn’t have a NTC. He can be traded to any team that gives the Wild a good deal.
For consideration: So far our new owner has not gotten a “win” from his GM. Only losses-Rolston to Jersey, Ollie to Phoenix, and no high profile FA’s. I think there will be a great deal of “direction” from ownership to sign MG, I think over-paying is balanced by the Marketing need and the appeasement of the fan base. $8.2-$8.5 for 4 to 6 years and even a limited no-trade are in play. If I’m the owner this deal gets done for more than just on-ice issues.
I don’t know, I think handing him the team’s first ever division championship was a pretty good “win”…
In any event, count me as one fan who will still root for the team if they don’t give Gaborik stupid money just to sign here.
Word, Nick (welcome back, BTW… how was camp?)
I don’t think it’s up to the FO whether Gabby gets signed. I suspect the money will be there, but it’s all in Gabby’s hands. Either he decides he wants to be here or not. Money is secondary to that decision.
if winning is getting high profile FA’s, the rangers would be winners then.
I don’t think so.
Misses Sunshine- Mister Know it all is not saying anything about a no trade clause, rather a team will not give Gabbys value even up if his contract only has 1 year on it. The Wild I am sure will want fair value for him.
The negotiation would look like this
Gabby gets to have a say in what team he is traded to
Wild get fair value because Gabby gives the Wild the right to facilitate his contract so the team giving up players knows they have Gabby signed
If Leipold is demanding that Gabs re-sign and DR’s job is on the hook whether that happens or not, would make him the NHL’s version of George Steinbrenner, and I think most of Russoville would be opposed to that. To wit, Leipold has said he wants to be a hands-off owner, and wants the hockey stuff done by the hockey folks.
mkia/Wally/Beaver (I’m going to just start calling you “Sybil” to avoid further confusion) - that’s not how it works at all. Any team wanting to acquire Gabs will talk to his agent and find out if Gabs wants to be there. His interest in playing for that team will help that team determine what they’re going to give up for him.
For example - the Rangers and the Canucks call his agent. Gabs is high on NY, not so much on Canuckland. The Rangers offer all their RFA talent (such as it is, let’s just assume they have talent the Wild want) to the Wild for Gabs. The Canucks offer Willie Mitchell.
The Wild take the better of the two deals being offered.
Mister know-it All: Gaborik already DOES have a say in where he goes. That just takes longer while he is still here, unsigned. No one would be negotiating, as everyone (including DR & TL both) knows the longer you hang onto Gaborik, the more his value wanes. ‘Sign & Trade’ deals don’t work in the NHL like they do in the NBA.
Just give Gaborik and his agent the darn contract offer already so negotiating can begin. DR and Co. has dragged this initial step for over 3 weeks now.
The final word on if Gaborik wants to stay or leave will be resolved very quickly if doesn’t want to sign an extension. Enough talking, start working.
I don’t think that you want to give Gabs a “Take it or Leave it” offer. I think you make an offer, listen to a counteroffer, make your own counteroffer, and if they still try to jerk you around, THEN you give him the TIOLI offer.
Voice of Reason. I know of no Wally and Beaver. I seen them when I was a little boy on the tv set however. I dont why you are dissing Mister Know it all.
I disagree with any of the thoughts with regards to how negotiation would go other then what I said. It can only go the way that Mister Know it all says it will go. Nothing else makes any sense. If you do it your way the Wild get destroyed in the deal.
The negotiation would look like this
Gabby gets to have a say in what team he is traded to
Wild get fair value because Gabby gives the Wild the right to facilitate his contract so the team giving up players knows they have Gabby signed
Mister Know it all
I disagree with any of the thoughts with regards to how negotiation would go other then what I said. It can only go the way that Mister Know it all says it will go. Nothing else makes any sense. If you do it your way the Wild get destroyed in the deal.
Iggy Five-Oh says that anyone who consistently refers to himself in the third person is probably retarded…
Gaborik does have a say in where he goes though. He can say he’ll stay here, or he can say he’s going elsewhere. If he is traded, teams that believe he is the missing piece will vie for him against other team’s packages and they will all think they can resign him, I’m sure.
No matter what, the Wild will not receive equal value in a trade in terms of quality, but may make up for it in terms of quantity.
If Gaborik wants out of Minnesota then he has to be traded. We all agree there.
But I can’t believe how willing some people are to let a Gaborik that wants to sign in Minnesota leave because $8.5 million per season is “overpaying.”
Considering Hossa, Zetterburg and Gaborik are the free agent headliners at forward next summer (Antropov, Cole as well?) you know Gaborik is going to have some huge money thrown at him. So if you can sign him for less than the market is that really overpaying?
Hossa, 30 and Sundin 37 had huge money offers on the table. Gaborik is 27 coming off a pretty healthy season. The salary cap is expanding and the offers are becoming aggressive.
Don’t take superstars for granted. There are very few in the league and it is rare to have one already on your team. I think because we are intimately familiar with Gaborik we forget how great he is.
No matter what, the Wild will not receive equal value in a trade in terms of quality, but may make up for it in terms of quantity.
I don’t agree with this approach. The Wild should seek quality. And by quality I mean a top notch prospect and a first round pick. Not a hodge podge of 4 or 5 guys. What is a handful of 3rd/4th line guys going to do for your future? Because let’s face it, trading Gaborik is not a move that makes the Wild an instant contender.
I say get the young prospect and the pick so you can scout the player(s) you want and groom them in your system.
For example: if Gaborik wants out of Minnesota I would gladly trade him to Phoenix for Mueller and a first round pick. The Coyotes already have plenty of young/old centers and this gives the Wild a center who is from Minnesota giving a certain group of fans a guy to fondle themselves to.
I probably wouldn’t even scream too much if it was Gaborik for Toews or Backstrom straight up. Possibly sprinkle in a 2nd or 3rd round pick.
AiH: to me there’s a line between giving a guy who deserves it and wants to be here $8.5M and giving a guy who might deserve it and maybe wants to be here $8.5M…that’s really all I’d say about that.
Gabby = 5 yrs, $41.75 million
I’m not saying the Wild should go AFTER quantity. I’m just saying, I think that is more likely what teams will offer. And when I say, equal value - I mean equal value as of right now. The Wild could swing a trade which could be more than equal 2-5 years down the line. But we won’t see a point per game player back this way for THIS SEASON.
DB, if he signs, I believe it will be for 3-4 years.
I’m with Iggy50 on that. How many teams can afford to tie up $8M+ in cap space on one guy right now? Mueller and a 1st would be awesome, but that’s at least $6.3M more in cap space for the Yotes.
You get offers of multiple, lower-tier players in trades for Gaby because the team’s you’re dealing with have to create space.
darnit…should have said that’s $6.3M more in cap HIT for the Yotes.
I certainly wasn’t giving any consideration to the cap hit of the individual team. I was just showing what kind of deal I think could/should get done. Basically I think it is impossible and almost pointless to try and trade a top notch player for a top notch player. Especially if the Wild are just swapping wingers.
And I agree Nick about that fine line but it is clear that risk is now a big factor in the NHL. No longer do players have to earn their contracts. The emphasis is on the team to lock up these guys. There just isn’t a cheap AND safe bet out there.
The Wild know Gaborik better than any other team and they appear more than willing to keep him in Minnesota. If he wants to stay I have no problem with them dishing out the cash. So I think the Wild believe he deserves it now it is a question if he wants it.
Aaron is right. The market is overpaying for everything, just not at the pace it was 5 years ago.
The prevailing thought now is that the cap will always go up, therefore they can count on a 5-10% increase in cap money each year, so that 8.5M hit this year might be 15%, but in 5 years it’s only 12% when the cap is at 70 million.
But there’s a fallacy to this theory - “the cap will go up”. There is nothing that says the cap will go up. If we look at the reasons the cap has been up this year and last year, it is attributable to two things:
1. US dollar on parity with the Canadian dollar.
2. People coming back to the game after the lockout season.
I’m not going to get into why ppl are coming back, but it’s a fact that they’re also dragging some others with them.
Now what happens if the US dollar gains strength again? Yep, Canadian teams will again suffer the problems of the exchange rate, and overall the league will suffer. The US teams might be a wealthier, but it’s by comparison only, and the losses the Canadian teams will endure will again drag down the league revenue averages.
Now the kicker… The US economy. It didn’t hit rock bottom last winter - but it’s going to suck ass come this one. With heating oil costs already projected to be 2x last year’s rates, and gas prices up, home foreclosures, etc… Things will be a bit different this year with regard to people spending $200 to take the family to a game. Not going to happen as much, and I see revenue and attendance down slightly as a result.
Speaking of cap space, if nhlnumbers.com is accurate there are several teams over the cap already. Philly is listed at almost $5 million over the cap. Yikes! What are they gonna do about that?
No longer do players have to earn their contracts. The emphasis is on the team to lock up these guys. There just isn’t a cheap AND safe bet out there.
great points, all.
hmmmm, maybe DR is trying to find out if Gaborik wants to be here. Maybe he has no problem paying Gaborik $8.5M per (or more) but only want to do so knowing that Gaborik wants to play here and isn’t just playing here for the $$. Perhaps DR thinks $8.5M per is too high for a player that would rather be playing somewhere else.
By ‘courting’ Gaborik, he’s saying “We want you. We’re willing to work to make you happy but we need to know that it is possible to make all of Gaborik happy and not just his wallet.”
Just my thoughts.
Maybe Gabby’s scoring per minute played would drop if he were consistantly used as a penalty killer? That would add probably 4 minutes of ice time per game where he’d have little chance of scoring. I’m sure there’s people on that list who do kill penalties that would soar right past him in ranking if you added those minutes to the denominator.
If you gotta trade him, do it before camp opens. Get some help at center/wing and some draft pick(s), and get more cap room so you can play with the big boys @ next year’s trade dead line. Negotiate with urgency, his value will be high and he CAN’T come to camp without the contract done.
If you trade Gabby, you will also need JL’s input, because you don’t want to trade for a guy who will not fit into JL’s system, especially if he comes with a sizeable contract.
Saw an interview with Parrish on Fox 9 news, it sounds like he had no clue on what JL wanted from him as a player during most of his career here, JL wanted him to ‘figure it out for himself’.
We might actually have to use Gaborik on the PK more often this year. Our forward PKers to start with will be: Koivu, Nolan, SRV, Belanger, and Gaborik.
JL will have to train: AM, Pouliot, and Sheppard.
I’ve noticed that Gaborik isn’t on the first PP unit. That might annoy him some.
EG: I saw that interview also. What did you think of it?
I felt he casted a little too much blame on JL. If you are watching video and he’s telling you what you did wrong and what you should have done instead, isn’t that suppose to help you? Its not like he is a first or second year player. Sigh, I don’t know. I’ve listened to a couple of his interviews on the radio and he has said the same thing about JL.
I wonder if JL will say anything about the whole Parrish situation. Or will he even care to comment? I mean, Parrish is in a sense saying that it was mainly because of JL that he was bough out. Will JL defend himself? Dr somewhat defended JL by saying he didn’t talk to him before buying out Parrish.
I still feel positive about the contract talks. Like Tom Lynn said Gaborik hasn’t told them he is ready to move on and never in his time here has he flat out said I’m leaving. He’s just talked to the media and pointed out at times he’s frustrated with the management(i.e. never signing big names) they addressed that in the Summer of 2006 so that should show him they aren’t affraid to make a move when needed. They also showed him the internal workings of this club which is not often shared with players. I hope he likes the direction of the club and gives us a few more years of his time. I agree that Gaborik is a very special player and I’m very glad I’ve been able to watch him play live at the X. I’ll tell my children and grand children about watching his 5 goal game live and hearing 18,000 fans chanting “GABBY!GABBY!GABBY!”
Our forward PKers to start with will be: Koivu, Nolan, SRV, Belanger, and Gaborik.
JL will have to train: AM, Pouliot, and Sheppard.
I’m not sure Nolan and Gabs are strong PK options, and I think Shep could handle big minutes on the PK now that he’s got a year of seasoning on him. And I think Mittens is already a good PK guy, so we really have 5 good PK players and a couple borderline PK guys. I’d say that our core PK players are:
Koivu
SRV
Shep
Belanger
Mittens
And the marginal ones (who could be swapped in/out as necessary) would be:
Gabs
Nolan
Pouliot
Based on ice time, Mitts didn’t play much on the PK last year in Dallas so that was why I left him off the list.
I agree that Gaborik is a marginal PKer. I am usually nervous when he is out there because he sometimes look a little lost.
They also showed him the internal workings of this club which is not often shared with players.
This is something that I wanted to comment on but got distracted (can you believe my boss wants me to work? sheesh!).
I have to wonder if part of this discussion was about the Management’s roadmap for future coaching options if/when JL finally steps down.
I could be wrong on Mittens, but I thought he was at least “competant” as a PK man.
If Gabs didn’t spend so much time suck-holing, he’d be a fantastic PK man with his speed and stickhandling skills.
Mittens
Heehee.
Sorry. That’s just my new favorite nickname for a hockey player now. This blog should never refer to him as anything but Mittens. Even Russo should write in his stories Mittens.
Did someone here bestow that name upon him or did he bring it with him from Dallas?
VOR: You could be right about Mittens. I just don’t know enough about him so was basing it on TOI.
I think with Gaborik is that he thinks offensive too much on the PK and he doesn’t fully commit to blocking shots or being in the shooting lanes. Though I agree that he would be a fantastic PK if he only makes the commitment.
I also agree with you about the coaching situation. At most JL will coach for two more seasons - the length of his contract. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this might be his last season. He will be 63 years-old in September. He’s the oldest coach in the NHL by a few years.
It was mine. I’d seen Mitt Romney referred to as Mittens on another blog, and then someone called Mietinen “Miets” and I thought Mittens fit him well too.
Thats what the Stars fans called AM.
Mittens, heh heh, still cracks me up.
Human nature, Sunshine. Parrish is disappointed and maybe embarrassed. It is more comfortable for Parrish to cast blame on JL.
Where his comments fall short is what you have already mentioned. Parrish is no rookie, but maybe Parrish no longer had what JL needed?
so if, in his peek under the hood of the team, Gaby asked “how long will jacques stay on?” - appropos of nothing, of course - and DR/Lynn Toms told him something like “well, his contract is only for two more years…” and Gaby thought that was to his liking…wouldn’t the next question out of his mouth be “but, isn’t Constantine even more of a taskmaster/defensive Lex Luthor to the offensive Bob Hartleys of the world?”
I don’t know about you, but I’d definitely hire Lex Luthor as head coach. No way he’d lose.
wouldn’t the next question out of his mouth be “but, isn’t Constantine even more of a taskmaster/defensive Lex Luthor to the offensive Bob Hartleys of the world?”
Maybe it was, and maybe DR told him that KC has no more inside track at being the next coach as anyone else.
And maybe monkeys will fly out of my ass. You never know. I just hope DR gave him an acceptable answer to that question.
sunshine, I don’t really think JL cares to defend himself. If he is confident in what he doing is the right way to do things, he would not need to defend himself. Playing for JL I think was too much work and not enough fun for Parrish, you could hear it in his commentary. Does it make Parrish come off as lazy or undedicated, I don’t think so. I think Mark worked very hard and was very dedicated to the team, it’s just he couldn’t please JL and it became frustrating.
DR would probably say that the Wild will discreetly begin searching for a new head coach this year to replace JL.
Pat Burns is out there. Does anyone remember when DR was searching for the Wild’s first coach, he asked a number of hockey insiders about who were the 2-3 best coaches available? I thought the answer he kept getting was Burns and Lemaire. I might be wrong about Burns, though.
EG: did you find it somewhat funny when he said that he tried to be one of the first ones at the arena or on the ice but he couldn’t be because some of the other guys woke up way too early?
Yes, I also thought it funny that he wore sunglasses through the entire interview. It was probably right after his charity event, maybe a few libations that loosened him up but didn’t want to show any bloodshot eyes?
FOOD!!!!
Food and very good food too!
With all the new coaches being hired I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of them get the job instead of one of the old guard. Perhaps Ramsey.
[…] Of course Gaborik is going to get the share of the points offensively. This would make sense why Olli Jokinen, Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa and Peter Forsberg don’t want to play for the Wild. General Manager Doug Risebrough and assistant GM Tom Lynn […]
