Gaborik ‘good to go.’
Posted on December 16th, 2008 – 2:45 PMBy Brian Stensaas
Just wanted to start a new thread with some not-so surprising news.
We’ve been talking about it for days. And now, pending a chat with coach Jacques Lemaire tomorrow morning, it definitely appears Marin Gaborik will play against the Flames.
“I’m good to go for tomorrow,” Gaborik said, noting he does still have to talk with Lemaire to be inserted in the lineup.
Gaborik has played in just two games this season after scoring 83 points a year ago.
Lemaire has said since Gaborik began practicing with the team again last week that coming back will be Gaborik’s decision.
“He looks fine,” Lemaire said. “He’s not in game shape, but he’ll get there.”
To get in game shape, Lemaire said, you have to play games. So …
“You have to put him in games.”
And there you have it.
It was a media circus today at the X. Cal Clutterbuck, off the ice shortly after Gaborik, quipped “You can talk to me over here, guys” and pointed to an empty spot in the locker room. Alas, everyone was there to talk with Gaby.
He took it pretty well, too. He didn’t really dodge any questions, answering everything from anticipated fan reaction to the possibility of his “lower body” injury acting up again.
I’ll address all of this and more, including some eye-opening numbers on a certain pair of visiting players tomorrow, in Wednesday’s paper.
Time to get to work.
140 Responses to "Gaborik ‘good to go.’"
Heh. Thanks for the Cal anecdote. Funny kid.
Great- we get to hear about how Jerome “Chuck Norris” Iginla, and Dion “Sloppy Seconds” Phaneuf OWN the Wild. 
Is there any other rival player that Minnesota Wild fans love more than Jerome Iginla? It seems, for a rival, our fans have a huge amount of respect for him in comparison, to say, The Sedins, Sakic, Penner, Selanne, etc.
So, will Wild fans chant “Sloppy Seconds” at Phaneuf? Because that would warm my heart to no end. I mean, come on. It’s friggin Phaneuf!
For most rival players, they are “love to hate” players: Tucker, Ohlund, Burrows, Bertuzzi, etc.
But Iggy definately falls into the “hate to love” player category for me. I want to dislike the guy. I want to see Burns crush him into the boards and sent him hobbling down the hallway to the locker room. But at the same time, I know he is explosive, and I want to see what he can do when the chips are down (al a last year’s Wild meltdown when leading by 3) They guy is just good. If there is any player in the Western Conference that deserves Crosby money, its Iggy, not our guy.
/ Iggy man-crush
if you don’t like Iginla you’re not a hockey fan.
I will not start the sloppy seconds chant, but I will definately partake if it starts going.
Atta boy Gun.
I don’t even hate to love the guy. I just hate that he’s in the West with us. Straight up admire the hell out of him.
Nick draws a line in the sand… interesting.
“I just want you guys to know that if we ever get into any really heavy combat…I’ll be right behind you.”
Russel Ziskey
ms. c: I’m about 7 drinks into the day. I’m all about lines in the sand.
Iggy can play for sure, wish he were in this time zone so I could see him more without sleep deprivation.
How many games is it going to take Gaby to knock off the rust?
Wait, you’ve had 7 drinks or it’s been a day that needs 7 drinks?
Steve R in da house! Hopefully not many. But I still think that he’s really auditioning on whether or not his freakin’ crotch is working and not whether or not he knocks in a few goals in his first few games back.
The appearance of “7 drinks” and “sand” in the same post makes me want a vacation.
Steve: One less than it takes to get him traded.
My boss took us out to lunch…and then on the way back was like “hey, what bar are we going to” to the carful of us with him.
I have consumed a good solid 7 drinks already today…
I would kill to have those guys on our team…absolute complete tough hockey players that bring it every time they step on the ice
Be funny to have that chant started
Got to agree with gunslinger doc holiday on top there…think we might get embarrassed tomorrow night…hopefully not
Also…clutterbuck might get his bell rung tomorrow night by Dion…that is if he plays
As bad as it sounds…I would love to c that happen…serves him right
Yeah, I’m more into the visit from the Iginla Monster than the visit from Gaborik.
What kind of return is realistic for y’all to get trading Gaby? Aside from a bag of pucks and a used zamboni that is. Look at the Hossa deal and dial it back by 50%?
I’m with Nick. If you don;t like watching Iginla play hockey… you just flat out don’t like hockey. Wild killer or not, the guy is a freakin stud.
50 goals+, plays PP, and PK, drops the gloves when needed… all around solid player with talent to boot.
Backs 32… I know this means little to you, or at all really in the grand scheme of things, but your posts make me wanna, you know, like totally go back to high school and stuff. c u l8r
Until you drop the childish text talk, I cant read your posts… not that there was much to them anyway…
Steve R: I think anything ranging from a 6-pack of Taco Bell tacos (remember those? Practically got me through college…) to a 2nd or 3rd line young player and a 1st round draft pick is reasonable.
NiNY - I STILL get a 6 pk and a Lb. if I go up to St. Cloud!
Although, I think it is Taco John’s, not Taco Bell, that does 6 pks.
God bless you, TheGun.
A Talisker neat, 2 Johnny reds with soda on the rocks, two glasses of whatever that cab was, two Yuenglings and one stout on draught…that’s actuallty 8.
Anyone care to ask NiNY a question?
A Talisker neat, 2 Johnny reds with soda on the rocks, two glasses of whatever that cab was, two Yuenglings and one stout on draught…that’s actuallty 8.
Anyone care to ask NiNY a question?
Its Taco Bell. Was a shift manager there in high school.
Mexican food sounds good tonight. Not as authentic as what ms. c can get in Houston but authentic enough for the upper midwest.
Does liquor diminish your vocabulary or just your spelling and ability hit ‘Submit Comment’ only one time?
That was sarcasm in case it didn’t come across right!
‘actuallty’
Poor Buddha…sorry for writing a c…perhaps I am just lazy…i would love to go back to high school…life sure was easy then…now that u said that I going to do it all the time just to piss u off
Does liquor diminish your vocabulary or just your spelling and ability hit ‘Submit Comment’ only one time?
Does being a troll diminish your ability to post a meaningful comment, or just increase your ability of being an a$$?
By the way - who are you to call him out? NiNY is a staple on this blog, I don’t think I have ever seen you before.
Good stout or crappy stout or your taste buds were dead so it didn’t matter?
That was sarcasm in case it didn’t come across right!
Please disregard the above..
Sorry Gun, not a troll. And I was joking with NiNY.
Sheesh, I even posted a second one stating it was sarcasm and you still jump down my throat.
I don’t post often but I do post, usually during games. Just because I’m not on here every day doesn’t make me a troll. Thanks anyway.
Iggysaurus is going to eat Gaborik off a toilet seat tomorrow night ala Jurassic Park.
Disregard mine too! Ours must have crossed in cyberspace…plus wordpress nailed me..
Steve R: good stout. From CO, but I don’t remember the name. Then again, my taste buds were sufficiently anesthetized as to render my judgment ineffective. So maybe it was swill.
Happy fun time, sweet. Pfft. Feather.
I lived in Tampa when the Lightning won the cup, and the finals against Calgary were awesome. It was fun seeing two tough but skilled players go at it - Lecavalier and Iginla even fought. They’re both incredibly soft-spoken and even tempered off the ice, but man did they get into it on the ice!
hopefully he can play well so he ups his trade value
NiNY - Fat Tire maybe?
heather: don’t tease me. I only wish.
It should be a good game. The last time the Flames were at the X, the Wild beat them to win the NW Division. They were hoping to win to clinch a playoff spot but instead lost and their fate rested on another team losing.
The Flames and Canucks games are always good even if we do lose.
fosness?
Have you tried Hacker Pschorr Octoberfest? Best beer EVER (from Munich). Very hard to find though.
Reow.
Man, this day just keeps getting better and better. *sigh* I feel so bad, I’m taking a friend out for her birthday tonight and I couldn’t possibly be in less of a festive mood.
who will Gayborik be playing with?
Keystone Light…enough said
Anyone care to ask NiNY a question?
Are they hiring where you’re at?
hopefully not shep and that french Canadian SRV…is he french or Canadian
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF43P-FJrFo
Please watch…its a just a joke…pretty funny
Nick,
Maybe TenFidy? That stuff kicks a@@.
http://www.fermentedlychallenged.com/2008/02/brew-review-ten-fidy-imperial-stout.html
TenFidy is good stuff
I have been wondering this week what the reaction of the crowd will be when Mr. Gaborik steps onto the ice (standing O or Booooooo).
Personally I hope it is more along the line of “standing O” because lets face it, we need this guy. We either need him to sign on the dotted line and score a boat load of goals, or we need his value to rise to the point that someone else comes our way via trade and does that for us.
As long as we’re on the subject of beer, has anyone tried the new Budweiser American Ale? This is the first product with Bud on the label that I can endorse. 50% amber, 50% nut brown, 100% drunktastic.
Re: Reaction to UM on Wednesday-
I am truly uncertain of what will happen. On one hand, they booed his picture the other night. On the other hand, this is the X, and he still wears a red jersey…
My guess is they give him a standing O, despite the fact he deosn’t deserve one.
Next year, when he comes back with a different color on, they will boo him.
Backs - thanks for the video link. That was pretty funny.
I’ll cheer for Gaborik.
I will be rocking my #10 jersey tomorrow. However, if I the jersey myself, instead of receiving it as a gift from the Mrs. a few years back, I would have already pulled name and number off.
I may boo… I am very torn.
Demitra stat: 10 goals in 21 games for the Caknuckles, 3rd on the team. I think Koivu has the same in 29 GP.
Speaking of former Wild players, Rolston is without a goal in 5 games since returning from injury. The long distance relationship with Butch is not working out so well.
Start a chant - instead of “Let’s go Wild”, “Let’s trade Gabby”.
I think it’s going to be a combination of boos and cheers. If he puts a puck in the net… all cheers.
Good work NiNY! Although I really am not sure what all you drank, it sounds like it all hit the spot.
I get into enough trouble on my own so I’m glad my boss isn’t helping to contribute to the fun/trouble.
Rolston is without a goal in 5 games since returning from injury.
Boy, we would be in such a better place if we had made more of an effort to sign the point producing machine that is Brian Rolston… /sarcasm
I think I may be the only one of the team of 18,000 that is glad Huggy is gone. They should have dumped both him and Demo right away and focused on the FA market, instead of wasting time. He sure is earning his $5 mil out there in Jersey isn’t he?
The last Wild game I went to, Gabby scored 5 goals. It was the only game we could fit into the budget last year. The kids still talk about that night on a regular basis…. Gabby is a great athlete and will put up big points again soon. I just hope it is for the Wild, and that the fan base recovers its long-term memory.
I agree mostly Gun, but I would rather be spending 4 million on Demitra’s production rather than Bouchard’s.
Rolston’s been on the third line in NJ. Still getting top PP time though.
(Not making excuses for him; I could care less if he wasn’t on my fantasy team, just saying.)
I had a thought, and this is going back a few threads. Someone said Penguins fans were starting a campaign to get Ovechkin voted as an all-star starter.. Crosby and Malkin are starting to widen the gap between them and No. 3 (Kovalev). How funny/interesting would it be to see Malkin and Ovechkin on the same line?
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
I’m assuming everyone is out dealing with this horrid traffic.
6 pack and a pound from Taco John’s, I’d go get it now but I’m on Thunder Island at the moment.
No thanks. I dealt with the traffic today. Final score: Deadheading school bus 1, WRT 0.
It sucks to be me today…
About the fans’ reaction to Gaby: If he is in the starting line-up, I’ll stand there, but not react. Just listen to how everyone else reacts.
How do YOU think we should all react? Gaby has taken $2.5 million of Wild money and has done NOTHING to earn it. He’s put on the pouty face and did nothing for the better part of 1/3rd of the season, while his ‘lower body’ injury supposedly healed. If he comes back and starts producing like he should be able to, then fine, I will cheer for him, like I do for every Wild player. If he doesn’t produce, and does somehow not manage to be traded somewhere else, I’ll boo and hiss at him, like I would any Wild player who doesn’t work at his game.
No, I am not a Gaborik ‘rah-rah’ person. I like to think of myself as a Gaborik realist, and that the ‘Gaborik showcase showdown’ begins in earnest tomorrow night. Gaborik wants to leave, and now he’ll get his chance.
WRT - sorry for you - traffic totally stinks today. Sometimes I really miss Florida - except that it’s America’s wang.
I totally agree with your Gaby assessment. It gets to a point where “I’ll believe it when I see it”. I’m totally expecting one hit and he’ll be out again. Unfortunately, because I’d love for us to be a high scoring team - maybe it’s just not in the cards.
Better put Boogie on the line with Gaborik so the boo birds sound like Boogie cheers!
hey…just wanted you all to know that I’ve had a couple (okay, three) more drinks, but now I’m back home safe. So it’s all good.
Nick, you are my idol. Are you Irish?
I shoulda been hanging with Nick today. My Tuesday would have felt a lot less like Monday.
Why should Gabby get booed???
My boss took us out to lunch…and then on the way back was like “hey, what bar are we going to” to the carful of us with him.
Were y’all dancing on the tables and singing “Free Money Today!” 
I think I may be the only one of the team of 18,000 that is glad Huggy is gone.
I wouldn’t say glad, but considering the contract he got, I don’t miss him.
I’ve never heard Florida referred to that way before, heather. Can we get a Russo ruling on this one for validity? 
I will cheer every Gaby goal with a “Show me the trade value!”
How funny/interesting would it be to see Malkin and Ovechkin on the same line?
Think Ovechkin dumps the puck into his corner and then goes and drills him?
Demitra stat: 10 goals in 21 games for the Caknuckles, 3rd on the team. I think Koivu has the same in 29 GP.
La la la la la la! I can’t hear you!
toivo - I can’t take credit for it, it was Homer Simpson who introduced that description of Florida to me.
Homer was quite the poet!
Epic, even.
Ok so my Christmas tree died on me Sunday, had to go get a new one. Pre lit this time, no more stringin lights for me.
Nick, sounds like you had a good day.
MsC hope the ‘being a goalie’ thing is going good for you.
I will reserve judgment on Gaby until I see how he plays. Not a big fan of his in the first place.
Rolston not scoring for 5 games is nothing. I think he went like 10 games last season without scoring. Reporters were asking Jacques if he should be concerned. Then he went on a 5-6 game scoring streak. He’s streakier that Gaborik is.
Where’s Cartman? All this talk and he’s nowhere to be found!
Gaborik… um.. Golf clap. That’s it.
Just came across my google reader:
“There’s also a Parise signing on January 3rd.
$30 per signature, $10 for inscriptions or personalizations”
Uh… what? 30 bucks for an autograph? 10 extra just to put my damn name on it?
Are you kidding me here?
Dont know if anyone has talked about this already but SI is talking possible Wild outdoor game next year.
From Zach or JP?
The computer as been being a bitch lately so all I have to say is: woot.
See you all in MN tomorrow!!
From Zach… but does it really matter? Who pays 30 bucks for someone to sign their name?
Patrick Kane or was it Toews had a little PR problem with that too earlier this year. Because the event he was at was sponsored by an athletics/agent/equipment company, autograph seekers had to pay a fee to get an one.
He distanced himself and said that he was not aware that folks had to pay for an autograph.
What am I, chopped liver?
edubs: it might be a retread of the Pio article. It was a good story — both the Twins and U have expressed interest in holding a Winter Classic in their new stadiums. If not with the Wild, the U might do one for their mens and women’s hockey teams.
lol nice!
He is some words of wisdom
The move to have Burns play on D is a decision made by Burns and his agent and not the coach I say. The experiement was not good for Burns next contract. You sit Eric Reitz now and you create a log jam when Foster returns
Where does this team get the 6 players that are going to score ? I thought in time Burns would catch on fire and start scoring goals at forward and be one of those 6
JL is really pushing it with having JL go back to play with Shep and SRV- In fairness to JL he may look to move Gaby around with players who share his knowledge of making plays
Why does JL play Gaby with Shep and SRV
(1) Both players are gritty and JL is convinced most the goals are scored by crashing the net, so you need toughness for Gaby to play with. JL needs to start taking calculated risks at certain moments of the game. PMB is a natural for working with Gaby. Stick Bellanger out at center and a way he goes
Pouliot needs to play wing. I agree 6
NiNY…
Nick…you’re my hero. All that was missing was Danke Schoen.
Instead of Let’s Trade Gaborik how about Un-cle Money-Bags?
heather…can we clone you?
mrs.c…ditto…you got mad goaltender skillz to boot.
ATX…where is the party tomorrow pre-game???
Blair Betts has that Koptiar-zombie look…
Being a goalie is good. Not sure my skillz are mad yet though.
Jealous of the Austins, though not so much of the cold they are about to enter into. It’s in the high 30s here and I’m in my house, in a sweater and pants shivering.
Went to see the Santaland Diaries show tonight. A David Sedaris thing. Pretty funny and only an hour long. That’s how you do theater, baby. In, out, dinner. Perfect.
ms.c…they’re madder than mine…sadly, I am a forward. I have sloth-like reflexes so even if I positioned my fat arse in front of the net, it would be like shooting at the stretchy thing they put over the net… 
I am hopeful but realistic about the game tomorrow.
I hope the ATXs enjoy themselves and realistic about the outcome.
damn…I’ve been moderated!
ms.c…I am a sloth. No goalie here!
ATXs…cold, snow and the Wild…who could ask for more…’cept maybe a beer!
moderated again!
Can you say ’sloth’ on here?
I give up!
The wordpress police win again…
Mwah ha ha ha ha! my evil plan is working kj… No posting for you is the first step…
It’s quite a mystery sometimes what the offending word is on here, right?
I think it just doesn’t like some of you… I have posted a few words that even the weakest of moderation screens should catch, never had one go to moderation.
9-2 in the Chicago game. Toews have 0 goals. 0 assists. =/- of 0.
What the heck is with this guy? I thought he was a stud…
Posting more than one link can lead to moderation.
have = has
You drafted him.
NiNY: I know this is way after the fact, but I’m a hockey fan and definitely not an Iginla fan. Yes, the guy can play, and he’s tough as nails. However, he is also dirty, and I can’t stand dirty players.
“You drafted him”
Ouch. Yes I did. In two leagues. Of course… if I traded him to you, he would suddenly have a lightning strike moment and he would become the next Gretzky over night.
Hey, I offered Bouchard… er, wait..
Yep… and I gave you Backstom with a C instead of this clown. And you dropped him… I am the greatest fantasy hockey mind of our time!
Traded you Backstrom instead of Toews, traded you Parise, traded away Setagouchi…
Yep, coupled with my fantasy goalie curse I caught from Ms C, and I look like freaking Risebrough out there.
I wonder if Chris Simon is still available in my league…
Good night for a few of my FH boys. Not that it will matter. My goalies will lose all 3 leagues for me again. No doubt.
ATX…where is the party tomorrow pre-game???
Uh.. I don’t think I’m going tomorrow, so the party is up North. Otherwise it’s at the “Import Beer” stand outside section 112, across from the women’s restrooms, but begins at the Cheesesteak stand outside 108.
Are you Irish?
some say he looks irish.
If #10 was injured, then he was injured. I think the idea that he delayed his comeback has a lot to do with the CIA type secretiveness of injuries in the NHL.
I cheer goals, big hits, fights, good penalty kills, the anthem singer. I don’t really cheer during player introductions.
G*… good saves?
good saves?
ah, ef them. good saves are overrated
i also cheer marney gellner but y’all knew that.
I’m 1/3 irish.
Nothing clears away the cobwebs of a good day of drinking like having to drive your sister to the airport at 5:30 in the morning - in near blizzard conditions. 
Is my moderation complete?
All I did was try to use the word sloth creatively…
Wow…
Moderated again!
It looks like it is moderating the word
s l o t h
Moderated again!
have you been discussing family business with the canucks again?
Oh, because it has SL0T in the word.
Hey… Russo’s IT people… For the love of god, this is a hockey blog. We should be able to say SL0T. I mean seriously, who is so bad at being nasty that they’re using SL0T in an offensive way?
Here in northern Minnesota we live such a sheltered life that that we do not even know what slot refers to, or why it might be offensive MissConduct?
I mean seriously, who is so bad at being nasty that they’re using SL0T in an offensive way?
that’s funny.
Sundin to the Rangers!! Per Hockeybuzz - so take it for what that is worth.
Sundin is starting to make me like Forsberg.
Canuck trolls get what the deserve:
The Canucks may finally get an answer to the Mats Sundin question, but not the one they wanted.
There’s word from our sports station in Toronto, The Fan 590, that Sundin has struck a deal with the New York Rangers.
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20081216_124004_15204
Let’s go Gaby
*clap . . clap . . clap clap clap*
Let’s go Gaby
ms. conduct - speaking of Forsberg, he was quoted in the Denver Post yesterday saying he wants to play again this season.
AIH - he also said he wanted to make one last playoff run - which would not happen in CO this season.
Maybe Philly?
Wasn’t his quote specifically saying he would like to make a comeback to play in the 2009 NHL POST-Season? That’s pathetic. He is worse than Sundin, Niedermeyer, and Selanne.
I want to go on the record saying Henrik Lundqvist is overrated. I think he is very good, but not as good as what seems to be reported.
His save percentage is good for 15th in the league right now. He doesn’t have any shutouts yet this season.
In a year where top notch goaltenders are going down he should be standing out. I can’t say that is happening.
Also, the letter ‘v’ following the letter ‘q’ in his name doesn’t sit well.
NiNY feel free to rake me over hot coals for this blasphemy, but I feel better having said it.
Side note, the WCHA’s Jonathan Toews figured in on zero of the 9 Blackhawk goals last night.
Any ideas as to how the Rangers are going to clear cap room for Sundin?
“Side note, the WCHA’s Jonathan Toews figured in on zero of the 9 Blackhawk goals last night.”
Hey now, no need to take cheap shots at the best division in college hockey.
Exactly my thoughts, how are the Rangers going to make room for him under the cap? I figured he would stay in the eastern conference. He has said from the beginning that travel was a big factor in his decision. I suppose you have to consider an offer for $5 million for half a season worth of work. Regardless of how terrible the travel schedule may be.
Food
Well Sundin said money is not going to be the deciding factor.
He might take a contract small enough from the Rangers that all they’ll have to do is send a couple guys down to the AHL or move a small contract like Prucha.
He probably likes the idea of playing with his Gold Medal mates, Lundqvist and Naslund.
[…] tonight is huge, people - as big as all getout, you see? Marian Gaborik will finally return to the lineup for the Wild after a hellified amount of down time from an extended injury to yours truly. Those […]
Kovalchuk for Gaborik straight up? Rumor has it that those talks are happening now.
