Sunday hello; Gaborik extra
Posted on December 7th, 2008 – 10:19 AMBy Michael Russo
Good morning from Minneapolis.
As Brian mentioned last night, the Wild will take today off. And since it doesn’t play again until Thursday night in Phoenix, it wouldn’t shock me if some heavy-minute players have a light workload Monday at practice (maybe just off-ice) as well.
The Wild scored 26 goals in six games heading into the previous two. The team played a lot of hockey lately. Not making any excuses for the team, but the last two games, theWild looked like a team in need of rest. So these days off come at a good time for a flat group of players.
If you didn’t see, here’s today’s Marian Gaborik story. Basically, it’s a story on just how big of a pickle the Wild is in. It has a player who didn’t seem all that interested in signing anyway whose injury now prevents the team from trading him.
And quite frankly, it’s hard to believe the team would even consider signing him now. As I mentioned in the story, the Wild was interested in signing him when it thought his injury woes were history. They’re clearly not, and with the cap sure to come down, the Wild might be better trading Gaborik for some assets now and spending the money on a player (or players) that’s not such an injury risk.
Essentially, most the current and former NHL execs I talked to said the Wild better pray Gaborik comes back, stays healthy for a long time leading up to the March 4 deadline and plays at a high level so he can re-establish the market and the Wild can trade him.
Of course, the other side of that is, Gaborik has such a propensity for injury, can the Wild risk letting him play for a long time? From talking to people around the league, there was a market back in September, but then things died in October when it became clear this was a lingering injury.
Incidentally, I just noticed, the person half-seen immediately to Gaborik’s right at the Wolves game in the photo above the Gaborik article, that’s Tobin Wright. Who’s Tobin Wright? He’s a former Wild employee and an agent who works for Ron Salcer. He’s basically Salcer’s recruiter.
He’s also the person I wrote about today here. Wright’s been banned from the Xcel Energy Center event level. There’s a lot to this story that I can’t report yet, but it really has nothing to do with Gaborik.
But, to me, the thing that makes this most noteworthy? Wright is one of Gaborik’s best friends. They’re often together outside the rink. So the fact that the Wild feels comfortable enough to ban Wright and not be concerned at all about disillusioning Gaborik any further is just more evidence that this Gaborik situation is ugly with a capital U.
OK, that’s it for today. Stensaas has Monday’s practice, and I’ll be on the rest of the week during the three-game road trip.
65 Responses to "Sunday hello; Gaborik extra"
Like the economy, sounds like the Gaborik situation is going to get worse before it gets better, especially if the Wild feel forced to play him in order for him to re-establish his value. I know they’re professionals but I have to think that once he is back (and he has to come back sometime right?) he will be a big distraction to the team. The story about the recruiter/Gaborik friend sounds juicy. Let the rumors begin on that one.
I was kinda wondering what the point of the Wright story was, not really knowing enough to read between the lines there. I guess we’ll know more later?
Isn’t more right that the Wild feels comfortable banning him because they are protecting their business interests? That supercedes any type of relationship to the Wild or to a Wild player.
If they had given any deference to Gaborik in regards to treatment of his friends, don’t you think DR would have had said something more diplomatic about Demitra at the media luncheon prior to the 2008 draft?
Its business. Its not personal.
I think its amazing how the opinions on marian have gone from half the fans saying trade’em and half saying keep’em now no one wants him and doug and marian are becoming the most hated in wild history! I think that MKIA is right on when he said this is all mr. salcers doing…and we cannot blame a 26yr old slovakian hockey star to fully grasp what his cutthroat agent is doing to his reputation…the way things are going its looking like we will have gaborik out scoring goals for us sooner than later and probably wont go anywhere untill trade deadline or july 1.
Don’t absolve Gaborik of fault or guilt here re: the contract situation. Gaborik probably has an internal pay range that he was shooting for and a set of criteria he was looking for from the Wild. When he didn’t get his number or some of his criteria were not met, he rejected the offer.
Gaborik is in the driver seat. Salcer and friends can try to dissuade him, but at the end of the day, the buck stops with Gaborik. He thinks he knows what’s best for him. He can be wrong or he can be right.
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
If I recall correctly, didn’t Tobin Wright and Salcer swoop in during Gaborik’s last contract impasse and get the contract signed? I thought Gaborik fired his agent during negotiations, I wanna say his name was Alan Walsh? At the time, Walsh was being portrayed as the bad guy. Now it’s Tobin Wright? Sounds like Deja Vu all over again. How about placing some cuplability on the GM? His fingerprints are all over this thing.
I think the Don’s trying to tell us something…wonder…what…it…could…be??
I’m getting a Gaborik vibe…
Not that I want to defend Salcer, but he is also Burns agent. Burns had no issues getting a new contract. Boogy had no issues getting a new contract. Gaby makes the final decision, and I think Gaby has alot to do with the whole thing. Since we don’t know the whole story it is tough to pin what exactly is going on. I can definitely see Gaby saying that he wants more money, Salcer saying that he isn’t going to get it, and Gaby saying that they will wait until they do. It is super easy for Gaby (or DR or Salcer) to paint the picture that the other guy is the bad guy.
I don’t know if Salcer is a good guy or a bad guy. He is one of the key players who uncovered the Alan Eagleson corruption scandals for the immense benefit of today’s players.
I liked alot about the Don’s article. There is a lot of wailing and gnashing going on when the bottom line is that there is just no chemistry between Smug/Jock-U and Gaby. We all change jobs. These guys have tried to work together for what 7-8 years, and it is just time for them to go their separate ways.
Like Chelios says when talking about Coach Jules Winnfield, “I guess you could just say, I kinda outgrew him.”
“Outgrew me?? That candy-a$$ couldn’t spell hockey when I met him,” noted Wild President Smug Risebrough. Truth is they are both right.
Regarding the anonymous GM in Russo’s article and all revisionist historians who think the Wild have waited too long because of Gaby’s fragile groin:
If anyone truly believes that Gaby’s groin is that fragile and will ruin his career, then the time to trade him was the last trading deadline when he was in the midst of a 77 game/42 goal season.
Smug’s strategy has been correct. You play the percentages and those pointed to a decent season for Gaby that would lead to his highest trade value after Jan. 1 and before the trade deadline.
I’ve been wondering lately… Assuming he has to take the ice to prove he’s healthy before a trade. Do you think he’ll be booed or cheered? My guess BOO! but I’d prefer crickets.
Sorry, I’m still not buying. If Gaborik is indeed hurt, why didn’t he go (on his own if nothing else) to Los Angeles, and get his groin worked on so he could come back and play, so he could really cash in? Or, so he could prove his worth to the Wild so DR and Gaborik could come to an agreement?
I’m still of the opinion it’s ‘pay me or trade me’, NFL-style. By not doing all he can to get back into the lineup on an ASAP basis, not only is Gaborik screwing the Wild, he’s also screwing $alcer, along with himself as well.
Now, with the recent downturn in the economy, it’s just that much less likely that Gaborik will get what he is asking for, either in dollars or years, on his next contract.
If Gaborik doesn’t wish to be here, that’s fine. The Wild will do just fine without him.
See ya, Marian.
Davosis: Gaborik was booed loudly last Wednesday night during the St. Louis game, when a picture of him was shown on the scoreboard between periods.
What does that tell you? He’ll be booed lustily when he comes back, IMO. Guaranteed.
Is there some kind of situation regarding Marian Gaborik? This is the first time we’ve heard anything… 
I’m guessing we will hear more about the Wright situation after Gabby is gone.
Marian who?
Wild Road Tripper?
You stated that Gaby was booed when shown on the video screen? Well wasn’t the whole team booed a few games back when they went 0-10 on a powerplay? What does that ell you? I tells you only that most fans know nothing at all about how hard it is on the ice for any player and the Gaby situation not the forst for any athlete shows you how hard it is off the ice.
Gaborik will be booed when he comes back, right up until his first goal.
Vooch: I don’t doubt that it is hard for any player at the NHL level. But most don’t come with a history of the same, reoccurring injury like Gaborik does, and then not take care of it in a manner which would put him back into competition ASAP.
It’s not that Gaborik did (or did not) have his due diligence in this matter. He could have signed last summer when DR made his offer, and the economics were a lot different than they are now.
The fans, IMO, have a right to show displeasure when they see Gaborik on the ice the first game back. He’s taken 1/4 of a season’s salary (that’s $1.75 Million, folks) and has done NOTHING to earn a dime of it. As fans, we are frustrated and wish to show our displeasure at the whole of this situation which both sides now find themselves in.
Intoblivion probably has hit the nail on the head: we fans will boo, until he scores the first goal. Then the fans will cheer. (Derisively, perhaps, but cheer they will.) After then, who knows?
Sorry, Russoville. Even my HTML is out of control today…
I will take Gaborik back any day he is ready. We sure do miss those goals right about now. When he decides to play he can change the game almost alone. He’s the only player on the roster that can do that.
Don’t you think that if a player leaves a team without permission, he will face disciplinary actions, even if he believes it will help him. What if he leaves on his own and the LA doctor tells him to do things that doesn’t mesh with the Wild trainers and doctors prescribed?
The Wild dictates what a player can and cannot do during the season. They don’t allow players to travel on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Last year, Koivu said that they couldn’t shovel the snow. They have to wear a suit on game days and on the road even if they go out to dinner. Remember Sheppard and his shorts while walking with his mother on the boardwalk and the coaches had to tell him the rule?
That Vikings player who was docked pay for skipping I think a practice so he can attend his grandmother’s funeral after the team denied him leave. Its outrageous and the team took a PR hit but they had legal standing.
Players lose more if they don’t follow the rules set by management. They have to be close to very sure that what they are doing will turn out right in order to risk the wrath of management.
Gaborik has played the Wild and got just what he wanted. He’s virtually untradeable. He’ll sit out most of the season, score a bunch of goals the last couple months of the season, and make a boatload of cash from the team he wants to play for this summer, and probably sign with his buddy Hossa. He has no shame or pride in himself, couldn’t care less about the Wild or his team mates and loves getting paid and hanging out and doing very little in the Twin Cities this winter. What a class act.
I think my opinion of Uncle Moneybags has been made clear, so I won’t beat the dead horse.
I like the fact they banned Wright. My guess is he did something stupid, like yelling at a member of the management, or wouldn’t leave when they told him to, etc.
I don;t follw the Vikes too closely, and the whole Santana thing seemed to be handled the best it could. Santana wanted out, the Twins traded him. Comme ce, comme ca.
Even the KG thing doesn’t compare to this… they traded him, and I don;t think it was ever anything but obviosu that he deserved top pay, and was rarely (ever?) injured.
UM just played this whole thing wrong. I agree with whoever said above that the buck stops with UM. Regardless of what Mister Know Nothing said, he is 26, he has been in the league for loing enough. He knew exactly what he is doing and still does.
I really hope there isn;t a GM out there that will throw a checkbook at thim this summer, and if they do, they deserve each other.
I say buy out the rest of his contract, and let him go tomorrow. For nothing. A sixth round pick…
Why is the first picture we get of Groinorik in the last two months at a Wolves game? We see Foster all of the time but never a glimpse of the Fragile One.
Couple of things… On Gaby being booed. I was at the game. It was the promo they do before the 3rd period where they show pictures of 5 or 6 cartoon characters, and kids have to name the character. The team that wins the most, wins a prize. They almost always end with a picture of a player. They ended the contest with a picture of Gaby, and the crowd booed. Not loudly, quite noticably.
As for Tobin Wright, he was a key part to ending Gaby’s holdout. Here’s a story I found about what happened. It also details just how close Wright is to Gaby: http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/6808150
Hi everyone in Russoville, since this thread is a bit shorter I thought I would give you some info on “Dan”. I see that he is much loved here, I think he is a bit of a pompous ass myself, but am unable to say that on the other board I blog on. See “Dan” blogs on thenhlarena.com as the “Invisable Man” and he has a great talent of irritating people there also. Just to let you know if you really want to get him go to the blog “Teamof18000.blogspot.com, this is his blog. You can see a picture of him. Word in cyber land is he has been banned from at least one board already.
#1-Does anyone have the link to the famous Risebrough quote about getting something done with #10 one way or the other before the start of the season (or was it before the start of camp?) This gets referenced a lot, and I seem to remember him saying those exact words myself, but I can’t find it using the site’s Search function for some reason. Someone point me to that if you can please…
#2-Which of the trade rumors from July up until today, have been based in reality and which have been pure fiction? Anyone wanna take a shot at that one? For instance: did the Wild really, honestly leave Higgins and a prospect or a 1st round pick and a prospect on the table at one point with Montreal? What about the LA rumors? What about the Vancouver rumors? Someone separate the good from the bs for me if you can.
I cannot believe the amount of energy people spend on Dano. The guy has an opinion. So? Read it or don’t read it, and then move on. As long as he doesn’t say anything crude or offensive or racist, etc., I don’t see what the problem is…Are people not entitled to voice their opinions?
MN Slappy- I don’t think anyone has ever said he can’t. May have been said he shouldn’t, but that is our opinion, which we too are entitled to, yes?
I think 99.9% of the arguements with TI are due to the fact that he has yet to support anything with actual hockey facts, no numbers, no sources, just spews bs and gets the walls all full of TI nastiness. 99% of the counter arguements to his bs have simply asked him to support his opinon with something based in fact, and he can’t do it.
That’s the problem with TI. His absolute inability to argue anything using anything except negatives and whiny a$$ complaining.
He is entitled to his opinion, absolutely, and we are entitled to ours.
NiNY, G*, myself, both ATXs… most of the regulars arouund here have said many times, we have no issue with people with different opinions… just with those who present them as fact and have no basis to do so.
Are people not entitled to voice their opinions?
haven’t you heard the news? It’s not opinion from Dan, it’s 100% FACT
*rolls eyes* … cough, cough.. *vomits*
stupid html.
I just ignore him. Works great.
BTW, just a reminder for all of Russoville that the ATX’s will be in town for the Carolina game on the 23rd. We will be hitting up either Reid’s or McGovern’s (we will sort out the details closer to game time) and we would love it if everyone joined us for some pre-game drinks! Yes everyone, even Dan.
ATX, as an ex-Austinite I’d love to see you but will be out of town. Dang.
I should have said “love to see y’all” using the plural.
It’s okay woodcock, we don’t say y’all anyhow.
Need a laugh? hit up http://www.failblog.org, it’s good. Here is a good one: http://failblog.org/2008/11/28/price-fail/
I guess I’m old school. We did back when I was there.
woodcock, eveyone here says it, it’s just that the wife and I do not. We have made a point of trying not to sound southern .
That’s awesome, ATX.
Boy this Calgary/Rags game is quite the barn burner.
Er, the fail link, not the aversion to y’all.
would be fun Austin but the Mr and I aren’t going to that game. The next one we may try for is New Year’s Eve. Well, up in Roseau now for 2 weeks (3 Sundays) for work. Get to watch all but 1 game while I am gone. That is better then my 2 weeks (3 Sundays) to California where all I got was text message updates and had to look up scores.
It’s cool kgopher, hopefully some folks make it to the game. I really would like to meet some of the regulars around here. We have met Lemmiwinks and Ms.C (and the mr.) so far. It’s always good to meet people that love the Wild just as much as we do!
And yes ms.C, that website is awesome. There are some really good ones in there. I have lol’d a lot… and the wife doesn’t like that cause she’s trying to watch tv.
Sweet! Shutout for Kipper!
When I was there I sounded Texan and Mrs. Woodcock went Brooklyn.
The fact that Russo printed that NHL execs around the League stated there was a market for Gaby back in September, only reinfornces the fact that Ballgame completely and utterly ‘effed this thing up.
Going back to Stoned’s post earlier, if Gaby did not have a history of injuries, I would agree 827 percent that the best move was to wait it out until the deadline and get as much as you can. But, as was posted about 326 times prior to the start of the regular season, with Gaby’s shredded wiener, there was no way Ballgame should have taken the chance of letting Gaby play a single game in the final year of his contract and the current situation is the reason why.
UPDATE: GABORIK TO (TEAM) - UPDATED ODDS & CURRENT OPEN BETS
—————————————-
GABORIK TO TEAM:
MON - 5:2
OTT - 3:1
LAK - 4:1
ATL - 5:1
PIT - 6:1
ATL - 6:1
FLA - 8:1
NYR - 8:1
VAN - 10:1
STL - 10:1
DAL - 10:1
BOS - 12:1
WAS - 12:1
TOR - 12:1
BUF - 20:1
NYI - 20:1
CAR - 20:1
NJD - 25:1
TB - 25:1
NSH - 30:1
CJB - 30:1
SJ - 40:1
DET - 50:1
EDM - 50:1
CHI - 50:1
COL - 75:1
PHX - 75:1
ANA - 75:1
CGY - 100:1
MIN - 250:1
Current Bets:
Wallshot: $100 on MON & $100 on PHX
Gunslinger: $50 on PHX, $150 on LA, $10 on ANA
Buddha: $100 on CAL, $100 on MON
KJ: $100 on PHI
Hockeydad: $200 on MIN
Green*: $500 on MON, $100 on PHX
Boomer: $100 on SJ, $100 on MON, $50 on SBJ
KGopher: $100 on MON
ATX: $500 on TOR
Bullmoose: $100 on LAK, $50 on PIT
WildinNH: $500 on PHX, $50 on MIN
Many of you might wanna cover some of those early bets with some new action. Wonder where KiPA’s vote is???? lol
I’m in $200 for OTT, and $75 on PIT.
Note, many new odds for different teams. Look it over carefully. Place your bets!
It’s not on the Penguins, I can tell you that.
Austin(s) while the Mr and I don’t have tickets for that game, if we don’t have plans (still trying to plan family Christmas with one of the three juggle) we may join you. Keep us updated as to where you decide to go.
Gabby has always left me feeling cold. Like there’s no heart type of cold. He has slowly been moving from my ‘whatever’ list to my ‘hoser’ list; much more crap from his camp and he by-pass hoser and go straight to tool.
As I have written I think Salcer looks bad. I would hope that players would not get excited about this guys results. I think that Gaby will get his gold, but that is not what its all about. Gaby is not going to get much more money and look at the Damage they are in the process of causing to the Wilds organization. You would think Salcer would have been somewhat cautious of burning a bridge
Deep Breath says:
I like what Deep is saying here as well. I think that this is very true. It also suggests that DR likes the player and was betting that this thing would get done. This is where Salcer messes us with his 26 year old hockey player, by guiding him wrong
December 7th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
The fact that Russo printed that NHL execs around the League stated there was a market for Gaby back in September, only reinfornces the fact that Ballgame completely and utterly ‘effed this thing up.
Austin(s) while the Mr and I don’t have tickets for that game, if we don’t have plans (still trying to plan family Christmas with one of the three juggle) we may join you. Keep us updated as to where you decide to go.
Sweet BG. I will post here the day before the game most likely to see who’s up for it. I just like to periodically remind folks of it 
.
ATXs…we don’t have tix for that game either…but count me in for a pre-game snack… 
New Russo article, more info on the Wright ban…
but count me in for a pre-game snack…
Sweet.
Uhhh.. I got 27 PIM from Kris Versteeg tonight in fantasy hockey… uhhhh… wow?
You guys have more speculation/food and all of you guys are talking about is hips and dip before some game. Mister Know it all is surprised
27 PIMs? Nice. So… 5 for fighting, 2 minutes for instigator and a game misconduct?? Possibly a fight in the final 5 minutes?
the ATX’s will be in town for the Carolina game on the 23rd
I have tickets for that game but then i have tickets for every game.
will there be a single lawyer type gal in tow?
Deep Breath says:
>>The fact that Russo printed that NHL execs around the League stated there was a market for Gaby back in September, only reinfornces the fact that Ballgame completely and utterly ‘effed this thing up.<<
I would have to read the article again, but I don’t recall reading where anyone said that. There were some who said they should have traded him as soon as Salcer dug in, but that doesn’t mean there was anything worth trading for. And again those are a couple of opinions. The majority don’t feel that way as I read it.
No one, not Salcer, not Gaby, not Smug, no one close to the situation was betting that Gaby’s leg was fragile. If Gaby wasn’t confident, he would have been all over any offer that guaranteed his financial future. If the guy with the leg thinks he is healthy enough to hold out for the big money, you can’t fault Smug for betting the same way.
In the end DB, your logic is incongruent unless you have been saying all along going back to last year that the Wild should not try to sign Gaby because of his injury problems.
It is illogical for you to be willing to sign him to a long term deal, yet not willing to wait out the time necessary to build a frenzy and trade him closer to the deadline. If you believe he has an injury issue, then you shouldn’t be willing to sign him long term to begin with. The injury issue can’t be applied to one set of circumstances and ignored in the other.
This is Texas Hold ‘em. You bet the percentages and in the long run you win. The fact that someone draws a low percentage card to beat you once in awhile doesn’t mean you stop playing the percentages.
This is Texas Hold ‘em. You bet the percentages and in the long run you win.
The odds that Gaborik was going to sign an extension were low to begin with. Risebrough didn’t bet the percentages at all. He didn’t even start negotiating until way too late. He bluffed with a seven and a four. He got called and now he’s screwed. He’s a terrible poker player. He did the same thing, less dramatically, with Rolston. He got called and had nothing.
will there be a single lawyer type gal in tow?
Sorry G*, there will not be 
