Risebrough: Gaborik won’t be signed by start of the season; Columbus 5, Wild 3
Posted on October 3rd, 2008 – 10:30 PMBy Michael Russo
FYI, edited a few things at the light of day. Wanted to also make clear neither side said they were done talking, although they’ve been talking for awhile. Also, Risebrough wouldn’t comment when asked if he’d continue negotiating into the season.
The Marian Gaborik negotiations have hit a stalemate, and GM Doug Risebrough told me today he won’t be signed by the Oct. 11 opener.
“Not making any headway,” said Risebrough, who last month said it would be prudent to sign Gaborik, the team’s all-time leading scorer, to an extension by next Saturday’s season opener.
“I was trying to do something before the season. It’s not happening. … It’s not going to happen by the start of the season.”
Asked if he’ll react by putting Gaborik on the trading block, Risebrough said, “That, I’ll have to determine.”
Asked if he’s already started talking to other teams, Risebrough said, “I’m not going to comment anymore.”
It should be noted that previously when asked that same question, Risebrough had said emphatically, “I’m not talking to anybody, and I’m not interested in talking to anybody.”
I won’t rehash every detail I put in tomorrow’s paper. (Here’s the story). You can read Gaborik and the rest of Risebrough in there, and my analysis on the situation. But I will put up this quote from agent Ron Salcer.
Funny story, but I talked to Salcer while he was at a golf tournament on a cart next to Marty McSorley. McSorley jokingly threatened me. I jokingly told him I’d keep my head up, hehe.
“We have no obligation other than Marian to honor his contract and play hard,” Salcer said. “That’s his job and that’s what he’ll do. It’s their team. They’re entitled to run it the way they want to run it. We haven’t come to an amicable conclusion and we’ll see how they proceed. If they decide they want to move him, that’s their decision.”
I’ve got to tell you, this ain’t no bluff. Look at Salcer’s history. Ground-breaking contracts for Dave Taylor, Pavel Bure, Ed Belfour, Rob Blake and lots of others.
When L.A. wouldn’t sign Blake years ago for $9 million per, the Kings dealt him to Colorado and the Avs did just that.
Salcer believes someone will pay Marian Gaborik $9.5 million-10 million on the open market next summer, I think. And maybe he’s right. Los Angeles perhaps. How about Vancouver?
As I wrote tomorrow, usually these type of blockbusters are made among chums.
For instance, former Edmonton GM Glen Sather and the Rangers’ Neil Smith were tight in the 1990s. Sather dealt New York players like Mark Messier, Craig MacTavish, Kevin Lowe and Esa Tikkanen.
Sather and then-Calgary GM Cliff Fletcher are tight. The two could never make a trade because of the Battle of Alberta, but when Fletcher went to Toronto the first time in 1991, within a month, Grant Fuhr and Glenn Anderson were on the Maple Leafs.
Risebrough’s buddies? Montreal’s Bob Gainey, Toronto’s Fletcher and the Rangers’ Sather (Sather and Risebrough spent some time fishing in Alaska this summer, and the two have homes virtually next door to each other in Banff).
Of course, what can you get for a player who looks intent on becoming a free agent?
I think Pittsburgh is a strong possibility, too.
Ottawa’s Bryan Murray loves making blockbusters (acquiring Pavel Bure in Florida his biggest), but Heatley and Jason Spezza already have cap hits north of $7 million and Murray is trying to extend Daniel Alfredsson’s contract.
Florida is currently in a similar contract dispute with standout defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, although it seems far-fetched the Panthers would trade one problem for another.
I don’t like throwing names of players around when I’m not sure they’re involved in trade talks. I only do that when I feel I have something concrete. I will say I think Montreal makes a lot of sense. They have lots of cap room in future years and lots of good young players.
I would say this. It’s obvious to think the Wild just trades him to the East, but I think you just have to get the best trade possible. And if that means West, it means West. You can’t limit yourself to 15 teams.
I do think we’re at that point though where a trade seems a real possibility. And if there is indeed no way to bridge this gap, I think it would behoove the Wild to trade him as soon as possible.
Can you imagine Gaborik sustains a major injury this season and the Wild is unable to move him?
You can lose Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra for nothing. You lose an asset like Gaborik for nothing, it’s catastrophic. However, the other side of this is the longer you wait, more teams might be able to afford Gaborik’s $6.33 million cap hit (prorated down as the season goes along).
Scouts at tonight’s game, and this really isn’t a big indication of anything (teams know Marian Gaborik): Vancouver, New Jersey, N.Y. Rangers, Ottawa, Florida, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Detroit.
As for the game, the Wild was awful for the first 30-plus minutes, and then suddenly, Gaborik started playing, and the game was turned around.
Three goals in 2:14, started by Owen Nolan, then Gaborik, then James Sheppard after Pascal Leclaire turned away a Gaborik chance. The Gaborik goal was nice. He was robbed on a breakaway five seconds before. He turned back up ice, and with Gaborik standing in the slot, Rick Nash put it on his stick.
Gaborik didn’t miss this break.
However, Gaborik then took two minors in the third, one that led to Kris Russell’s power-play winner.
“Cost us the game,” coach Jacques Lemaire said.
Lemaire then had this snarky quip.
He said he was going to play his best lineup Saturday in Montreal, including Nik Backstrom for back-to-back games.
I asked if Gaborik is allowed to play because Risebrough had said last weekend that Gaborik would not play back-to-back games in the preseason.
Lemaire: “Is it in his contract?”
Then he said Gaborik would play.
It’s hard for Lemaire to sympathize with Gaborik. Lemaire, a Hall of Fame center, didn’t make $1 million total in his playing career. The most he made was $185,000. In 1967, his rookie year, Lemaire made $7,000 with a $100 signing bonus.
Although, he’s doing quite well for himself now.
As for defenseman John Scott, he said x-rays were negative on his right ankle. He said it’s badly sprained. The Wild says he has a “sore leg.”
That’s it. You’ll hear from me just before the game in Montreal as I don’t even get into the city until 2 p.m. What a waste.
70 Responses to "Risebrough: Gaborik won’t be signed by start of the season; Columbus 5, Wild 3"
Russo… you’re back… I was dying a little with every second you were gone…
who let skoula in the strib server room?
Maybe for $7k, JL will suit back up? I’ll cover the $100 signing bonus.
G*-
NICE!
Gaby to Montreal? If that wouldn’t just stick right in JL’s craw…
That was a torturous hour…
And it surprises me that they would play Gaby in these games that mean nothing, if they were fielding calls to trade him.
Salcer’s got no interest in doing a deal unless it’s a bigger deal than Crosy/Ovechkin/Malkin. Gabby’s not worth $9-$10 mill/yr - if he played defense as hard as he tries scoring goals then maybe. The trouble is what the Wild are really trading is Gabby for one year - hard to get value for that. If he Wild hadn’t screwed up so many draft choices it wouldn’t be so bad. Gonna be tough for DR to make lemonade out of this lemon of a situation. I’d rather see the Wild do a less than ideal trade than overpay Gabby.
I think Pittsburgh is a strong possibility, too.
Really, Russo? For trade, free agent? I don’t really see either, to be honest… how can they afford him? They’re pushing the cap as it is and I don’t think Malkin’s new deal has kicked in, and Staal needs a contract.
Also, Buddha re: the Gonchar thing: thanks, but my ego didn’t need sated for that. Thanks though.
Yeah, that was pretty good, G*.
Ummm, Bullmoose, its very likely that we will have a less than ideal trade for Gaby.
DR hasn’t made any spectacular trade moves.
Sunshine, I know, but would you pay Gabby $10 mill/year?
haha G*, Maybe Skooba wandered in there when it was dark and tripped over the power cord.
Gabby for Staal wouldn’t be a bad trade.
My limit is $9 million, which I have said many times.
In the end of the day, DR could probably offer Gaborik $10 million and likely would not sign. Some of it stems from DR’s lack of ability to make great trade moves. DR is stubborn about asking and insisting a discount because of the intangibles. It doesn’t work. STOP USING IT.
Some of it maybe is that Gaby is ready to move on. He probably feels like this team is going in circles and wants off. If its true that the Wild offered him $9 million and he turns down the offer, then its not really about money anymore.
Doug was on the losing end of one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history when he traded Gilmore to Toronto from Calgary. His track record in trades is dubious at best. Be afraid Wild fans, be very afraid.
A trade to Toronto for Johnny Pohl would make MKIA feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The Wild would finally have the Minnesota native he says will cure all evils.
You bet your bottom dollar that we are afraid…very afraid to be exact.
Wait, Pohl is not on the roster. Oh well.
Doug Gilmore trade - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_gilmore
I think it’s all about the money with Gabby - that and a team that won’t make him play defense.
Meh. Adios, fancy pants. I’ve got Aeros hockey, baby. I don’t need no stinkin’ Gaborik. 
To the people who are laughing and saying “Yeah right” to Gaborik getting 10 Mil a yr in free agency I will say to you it is a promise some team pays him exactly what he wants. There are some desperate teams out there and they see a 27 year old game breaker hit free agency they’re going to say here’s a blank check you fill in the dollar amount. Think about it folks Canucks offered 37 yr old Sundin $20 Mil for 2 yrs. I think they’ll give Gaby whatever he wants. The team I think will throw out the biggest offer is Edmonton. They are dying to land a big name and this could be their chance. Gaby will get whatever he wants at whatever length he chooses.
(Repost from the last thread before Russo came back….)
We lose gaby the sellout ends this season.
Hardcore fans are not enough to sellout every game, and I think you underestimate gaby’s draw.
I sat in front of a kid this preseason that didn’t stop asking his dad the entire game when gaby was going to come out.
Not to mention the fact that you still have to replace his 40 goals. Fans aren’t going to support a losing team without a star at this point.
Yeah, you know with the way Gaborik and Salcer were playing this you had to figure that it was coming down to this. I say trade him. I have no illusions that it won’t hurt the team — at least in the short run — but if he’s really turning down $9MM per season, he can go. Too bad.
Why do you think that Gillis hasn’t started talks with the Sedins even though they said that they might take a discount to play together on the same team? Don’t you think that he is waiting to see if he can get Gaborik or do a blockbuster trade?
Don’t get me wrong, I love watching Gabby play. But when defensemen can’t pinch because a guy won’t cover the point and when the fact that he actually backchecks is worthy of mention, you’ve got a problem. How can you pay $9-10/mill for that kind of guy, lock up Burns and Koivu and get enough other talent to field a competitive team, especially when you’ve drafted as poorly as the Wild has?
Another thing, the only new information is that DR is now listening to trade offers, which I and probably every poster has been saying he should be doing all along.
kgopher-
I found the shirt at Target of all places. Sorry for the delay in response… I just saw your comment.
sunshine,
please, please, please don’t tell me you are about to drop Sedins for Gaborik 
Obviously none of us get to make this call, and if he just doesn’t want to sign I agree we should trade him. But as hard as this is to say (I’m not the biggest Gaby fan myself) I don’t think the team can afford to leave anything on the table for Gaby. I just think he’s too important to the franchise.
No. I am just saying that Gillis has delayed negotiations with them and the Vancouver Sun said that Canucks let the Wild know that they would like to acquire Gaborik.
Is the last part true? I don’t know. I am just putting 2 and 2 and coming up with my own number. Just speculating.
I don’t want the marshmallow sisters anywhere near my team!
gaborik in not going to play a full season ever- he is a 30 goal scorer-he is worth 3.5mil a year-thats it.
He probably feels like this team is going in circles and wants off.
A year ago I might have agreed with that but if that is what Gaby thinks now he is way off - the young talent on this team is very solid and the cap situation is good. I strongly belive this team will do something over the next few years with or without #10.
- O‘Sullivan comes back with the LAK #1 pick? Stoll - if O‘Sullivan would plat wing for the Wild - and Dustin Brown also have contracts DR would like.
Of all the ideas, if we need to let Gaby go I like him going to LA and getting O’Sully and some picks.
Yeah, Fitz keep dreaming. $3.5 million like maybe over 3 years ago.
Rolston 30 goals - $5 million and he’s 35 years old.
Michael Ryder $4 million, 2 -30 goals season and drafted 2 years earlier than Gaborik.
DR. Teat. Wringer. Caught in.
Sure the Wild has a bright future with Koivu, Burns, and the rest of the core. Its DR’s inability to add a supporting cast to the core to put them over the hump.
Going around in circles. Detroit goes out and adds Hossa to their very strong core. Will it work? Maybe, maybe not.
San Jose going to get Boyle after losing Campbell.
DR has the right idea just not very good at execution.
I think Gaby wants to be a “superstar” and to do that, he thinks he needs to go to the East. Not so much for any added points or what-not, but because of that so-called east coast bias.
Very few superstars come out of the fly-over area. KG in b-ball, Hunter & Santana in baseball, and Moss in football. Those are the only guys in the last decade or so that I think gained superstar status from MN.
It is just a reality for MN sports fans that the superstars are going to leave for bigger things. The way to combat this is through shrewd draft picks, so a new star is always waiting in the wings.
Gaby stays, Gaby goes… At this point, I just want it settled.
I have no doubt that VAN would love to trade for Gaby as one of their papers has reported, but what could they offer? The only way I think they could pull it off would be by sending the Sedins and going Herschel Walker on the picks (i.e. 2 #1s and more). With the Sedins on the roster - Note: I am not a fan of them as top line players - DR would still have a solid team this year and a bevy of picks to continue the Wild tradition of putting a teenager on the roster each year.
“Of all the ideas, if we need to let Gaby go I like him going to LA and getting O’Sully and some picks.”
Not to be a dick but I kind of feel like we’d be the laughing stock of the league to trade for O’sully. We start off by shipping him out WITH a 1st rounder for a fading euro just to keep Gaborik happy but then end up trading Gaborik to LA to get O’Sully back? Ahhhh… That just sounds like a trade that gets mocked until the end of time.
Sure the Wild has a bright future with Koivu, Burns, and the rest of the core. Its DR’s inability to add a supporting cast to the core to put them over the hump
Fair point - thanks for making me go negative on DR again 
- he needs good karma now!
Lucky - I hear your frustration and it is risky but I do think that LAK #1 would be a top ten pick vs. the #20 (I think) from the Demo deal (and Demo was under contract for two more years). I also admit my comments are biased by the fact that I do not want to be talking Gaby trade in December!
Sadly I doubt Risebrough could even swing a trade for O’Sully. People around here seem to think Risebrough is working on landing Joe Thornton and I think he’s closer to landing Shawn Thornton…
Doug was up in my neck of the woods and I never knew! Next time he comes to the 49th state I hope he lets me know. Of course maybe he should have been working on signing Gaborik or looking at trades and free agents rather than fishing for Kings on the Ugashik or Kenai wherever he was.
Sorry, I stepped out for a bit, but now that I’m back, and Russo has chased Skoula from the server room, we can get down to business.
As I said in the previous blog comments:
LA is a good possibility, cap room, and some good young talent we can get in return. Doubtful they’d give up 2 players, but a couple picks and Kopitar or O’Sullivan is a possibility.
Montreal is a maybe, they’re close to the cap and couldn’t afford to take on Gaborik’s cap hit this year without moving about 3-4m worth, and that would leave them awful tight. Could Koivu (Saku) be moving west? Could we get our hands on Kostitsyn?
Pit, sadly no. KiPA I think you’re safe there. They’d have to give up too much young talent, and yes you are correct Malkin’s mega contract doesn’t kick in til next year. Would they part with Staal and a prospect or two? Who knows, but there’s still the cap issue.
Vancouver? I said it before, maybe. BFF is there, but it’s a western team and they’ve gotta know Gab’s not itchin to go play in another defensive system. They have huge cap space, but other than picks, we can get dick in return. Sedins? If DR would pull that trick, I’d be inclined to call for his head too.
Toronto? Cap space, yes. But would Fletch veer off course to try to pick up Gaborik? My inkling is no.
Florida? Russo, please. They unload developing talent, not acquire it.
Rangers? Yeah, I’m sure Sather would love to see Gaby in blue, but he’s already got overpaid Drury and Gomez on the books for 4 and 5 more years respectively, and adding another 9-10m on top of that isn’t going to happen, unless they wanna part with Zherdev and Dawes. Even then, I don’t feel it.
My bet is still Ottawa, and we’d get Spezza, and that’s it. No picks, just Spez at 8mil for the next 5 years.
I guess in the next couple weeks we’ll see. Season opens next Sat. I say he’s gone by Wed.
Gaborik would score 75 with Sid but he just makes too much. They’d like to sign Staal to something $4M-ish….this isn’t quite a make or break year for him by any means, but they’re moving him to wing and see if he becomes a goal scorer again.
of course, they’re playing him with Malkin, so Sid still needs a winger…
@Russo
Burke traded Bure to Florida not Murray.
A puck bag and 2 3rd rounders is all DR will be able to ‘negotiate’ 
Pull the pin! Send Gabby to Toronto for Luke Schen and their first rounder next year (Which should be a top 5 pick). The league has backed down from the “New NHL” the hooks and holds are always back by playoff time. Thats why the wild always starts strong and then fades. It’s not the team most of the time its the officiating philosophy changes for playoffs. I would Rather have the Stud D who can hook and hold and run interference WANTS to be in MN. Gabby’s lame excuse of “its up to the wild” what they do is crazy talk, its a negotiations it up to both of them. Gabby was still a fun bit of history for the Wild, 1st pick and all. Just to bad he peaked in 2003. C-ya and oh by the way hope you get traded to a rink with bad ice, fans, etc. Still would love to see Ilya in a wild uni some day.
“Gaborik was robbed on a breakaway 5 seconds before”
Didn’t see the game nor listen to it but from previous experience, Gaby doesn’t get robbed on breakaways…he’s effing brutal on them! This made me laugh.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it one last time, if Gaby scores on 50% of his breakaways last year, just 50%, he scores at least 50 goals if not more.
Russo, is that something you can look up?
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Salcer’s from the Scott Boras/Drew Rosenhaus school of agents. When they get a very talented player, all their interested in is getting the biggest contract ever to make a splash and get more big name clients. Gabby’s not worth that and the Wild have to trade him. DR makes bad trades. Wild are screwed.
“Pull the pin! Send Gabby to Toronto for Luke Schen and their first rounder next year (Which should be a top 5 pick).”
We already have an elite defenseman in the making and his name is Brent Burns. The guy is getting league wide attention now. We need SCORING talent in return. BTW Toronto has publicly stated they would deal their first round pick this season if the right deal came along BUT if it is a lottery pick they will add in the trade agreement that they keep the pick and the trading team won’t get Toronto’s first until 2010.
My bet is still Ottawa, and we’d get Spezza, and that’s it. No picks, just Spez at 8mil for the next 5 years.
I guess in the next couple weeks we’ll see. Season opens next Sat. I say he’s gone by Wed.
I would be fine if you are right on both accounts.
Anybody catch Ballgame’s comment in the paper of this situation “not being a distraction for the team” during the season. If ever there was a GM so cloaked in denile, it is Ballgame. It ranks right up there with “We have so much more to offer” than other teams. The fact that he has let it get to the point that the season starts in a week and no extension will be signed makes it almost mandatory that Gaby is moved in the next few days. It will be a huge distraction especially when we start to get closer to the end of February. Wonder how JL is going to react being asked by reporters, especially out of town reporters, on a consistent basis about Gaby. As we all know, JL is known for his patience (laugh now). This whole situation reeks with the smell of something going terribly wrong (i.e. Gaby injured before he can be dealt). The fact that Ballgame has let it get to this point is yet another example that he has no real clear-cut plan for the franchise. Remember, three years ago we had to let the kids play to see where we are; then two years ago we had to get bigger and tougher to compete with the Ducks (that lasted one year). Now, we had to get more mobile on the blue line. I wonder what the identity of the team will be for next year when Gaby is out of the equation? Can see the slogan already: “The 2009-2010 Minnesota Wild; at least we’re not the Timberwolves”.
So we’re looking at buying tickets for the Dec. 23 Carolina game and I’ve got a couple of questions.
Where is the best place to look for tickets? We need 5 tickets total. Is there a preferred site that you guys like best?
We found 5 seats on Ticketsnow.com in Section 122 row 25 for $110 a piece. Is this a good deal? Are those good seats?
We found 5 seats on Ticketsnow.com in Section 122 row 25 for $110 a piece. Is this a good deal? Are those good seats?
122 is behind the net the visitors shoot twice at and row 25 is the last row or next to last row. they face at 75 unless premium game where they face at 90. a season ticket holder got them for 65.
and to whoever said it…Hunter is NOT a superstar.
Yeah, those are good. Row 25 is at the top of the lower level though. I’d take em, I doubt you’d find 5 anywhere else in the lower deck.
Damn Arnott tried to burn my Jonesy down.
Ms C… It was in Brentwood. Sure it wasn’t OJ?
Green, ya those prices are way high.. but not sure what he’s gonna do. It’s tough to find 5.
Are there any other websites out there that may have a better deal? There were some on Wild.com, but the seats were not quite as good.
We would be willing to split up as well, as long as the seats are pretty close together.
The fact that he has let it get to the point
So Risebrough is the ONLY reason why Gaborik hasn’t signed? How do you know he hadn’t offered $9.5 over 7 years two weeks ago and Gaborik said “nah, not quite enough?”
You can offer someone the moon but you can’t force him to sign.
Because if he has offered that much and Gaby has said thanks, but no thanks, then it is on Ballgame to ship him. To let it go into the regular season, WHICH IS SOMETHING ALL SIDES SAID WOULD NOT HAPPEN BECAUSE SALCER STATED HE WOULD NOT NEGOTIATE DURING THE SEASON, will be nothing but a distraction, contrary to what Ballgame stated. It is laughable if he thinks it won’t be a distraction, but then, this is the same guy who believes that UFAs will want to sign here because “we have so much more to offer than other teams.” At this point, nothing that Ballgame does, or doesn’t do, surprises me because this is almost identical to the way things played out in Cow Town. Not being able to form an identity for the team. Even if Ballgame is offering $12 million a year for 7 years, if Gaby isn’t saying yes, then it is incumbent upon Ballgame to move him so the rest of the team is not bogged down with this mess during the season. So, to make a long answer a little longer, yes, the fact that it has gotten to this point is on Ballgame because Gaby cannot trade himself.
Also, WILDinATX, go to craigslist.com. There are a ton of tickets available and many to most are being sold at face value.
DR’s made plenty of screw-ups but it’s hard to see where went went wrong on the Gabby negotiations. He11, the Wild chased him and Salcer halfway around the world this summer and, from all accounts, made him an excellent offer. I don’t think he could have pulled the plug and started trade talks any sooner than this, it’s about how long it takes before you know that negotiations have reached an impasse.
P.S. The whole ‘it won’t be a distraction’ stuff is just BS and everyone knows it. DR’s just trying to get a little leverage by trying to get teams to think he’ll wait until the trading deadline if he can’t get a decent deal now. ‘Course it is DR we’re talking about so what are the chances he’d get a decent deal now or at the deadline?
We have to remember that $185,000 in 1967 would be $100 billion with todays inflation.
If we do sign gaborik and he does go down with an injury, could we then ask the government to bail us out?
Kevin in PA says:
You can offer someone the moon but you can’t force him to sign.
Deep Breath says:
Because if he has offered that much and Gaby has said thanks, but no thanks, then it is on Ballgame to ship him.
Deep Breath is 100% correct. If the Wild have made their best offer–and I assume that at this late date they have–and #10 has turned them down, then what exactly is Doug waiting for?? Is he waiting for Gaby to be injured again? Is he waiting for the situation to become a cancer in the room? Every day that goes by puts the Wild in an ever more precarious situation. He had better be moved or signed by October 10 or this is going to end horrbly.
“WELL….we’re waiting”
