Tense-filled morning down at Parade as the media horde came out to ask a very agitated Doug Risebrough and Marian Gaborik, “What’s the latest?” regarding stalled negotiations and all the trade rumors.

Gaborik said he doesn’t know what’s the truth, and that the media is making up trade rumors.

Risebrough wouldn’t comment on much, saying he didn’t want to perpetuate all the speculation.

He also wouldn’t talk about Gaborik’s “lower body injury,” although he said on Sid Hartman’s WCCO show Sunday what I reported last week in the paper and the blog: Gaborik wasn’t injured in Atlanta. He was actually injured playing the soccer hackysack tennis game last Wednesday morning in South Florida.

Risebrough told Sid and WCCO, “they play this game to warm up, which is a soccer game … and I think it tightened up his legs.”

An angry Risebrough wouldn’t comment about that comment today to the two beat writers because of the team’s new injury policy. Of course, that didn’t stop Risebrough from talking about Gaborik’s injury on radio. He said he’d “pick and choose” whom he comments to about anything.

Onward:

–  Petr Kalus, acquired from Boston on July 1, 2007, for Manny Fernandez, has left Houston and returned to Europe, where he hopes to continue his career. Assistant GM Tom Lynn said he doesn’t have a team yet. Remember, Roman Voloshenko quit the Wild last season, and by all accounts, his career has flamed out over there.

The Wild owns Kalus’ rights for the next two years, and it could technically keep qualifying him to retain his rights. But usually when you leave, you don’t come back.

– Right wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard (back) practiced today and looked good. Jacques Lemaire said if he feels good tomorrow and practices, he’s a good possibility for Thursday. Marek Zidlicky practiced today and looked good, so he should be a go.

– Gaborik (lower body) and Owen Nolan (lower body) didn’t practice but skated before practice, so they’re less likely to play Thursday.

– Derek Boogaard played defense today because Lemaire wanted to practice defenseman Tomas Mojzis at wing again. Lemaire said he wants Mojzis to play forward against Buffalo, and he doesn’t want to him to get confused by switching back and forth in practice.

– Krys Kolanos was sent back to Houston.

I’ll be on KFAN at 3:35 p.m. today.

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