Good afternoon from Vancouver, where it’s turning into a gorgeous day. 

Just got off the horn with assistant GM Tom Lynn, and he didn’t say much other than his initial statement, which was, “Marian [Gaborik] passed his test today in Vail showing his hip is mechanically repaired and healed well. Now he will return to Minnesota for a strengthening program to ramp up to game-ready condition.”

Gaborik is currently in transit back to Minny, so I don’t know if I’ll speak to him today. But he’ll begin training with strength and conditioning coach Kirk Olson in Minnesota on Monday and resume skating Thursday as he ramps it up with the aim of soon returning to action.

The cynics would say the Wild is broadcasting all this loveliness about Gaborik’s healthy hip because it wants 29 teams in the NHL to know he’s soon going to be A-OK as Wednesday’s trade deadline fast approaches. But I’m no cynic.

If that is the reason, the Wild brass should win an Oscar because they’re sure trying to convince everyone the plan is for Gaborik to play for the Wild, and the Wild only.

As I mentioned in one of yesterday’s blogs though, will Gaborik still even be able to contribute? The way this trip is going so far, who knows where the Wild will be in the standings once Gaborik’s ready to return. Of course, the one signature of the Wild is to win the games nobody expects it to win (and lose the games nobody expects it to lose, for that matter).

Hey, so maybe it pulls a rabbit out of its hat against Vancouver and San Jose?

The good news is the Wild should get a spark. Lynn said Owen Nolan, who’s missed the past three games with a broken toe, will join the team in Vancouver on Monday, meaning as of now, the Wild doesn’t plan to recall a forward to place the suspended Derek Boogaard.

Lynn reports the Wild is still talking with Niklas Backstrom’s agent regarding a new contract, but that’s all Lynn will report. He’s giving no indication if they’re close, if they’re not, if there’s any hope.

I did a trade deadline article/column for Monday’s paper, so be sure to check that out.

With the anomaly in the schedule and the fact that Columbus plays at Vancouver tonight, the Wild wasn’t able to secure ice for a practice today. Instead, it had a workout day off the ice and will resume practicing Monday at 3:30 CT.

By the way, barring trade-deadline craziness, “Russo Radio” on 1500 a.m. KSTP will be 7 p.m. Wednesday rather than 6 p.m.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 1st, 2009 at 12:57 pm and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.