Gaborik buy house in Vancouver? Salcer has “no knowledge of that”
Posted on June 23rd, 2009 – 7:37 PMBy Michael Russo
(updated with Fletcher quotes)
Good Tuesday evening. Coming to you live from clear, crisp Vermont, where I will spend the night before heading up to Montreal in the morning.
By the way, very exciting day today. Know what happened on this very day 27 years ago?
Mrs. Joanne Boogaard gave birth to a strapping young lad that would ultimately become one of the NHL’s most intimidating 6-foot-7 and three-quarters-tall enforcers.
I talked with agent Ron Salcer after I landed this afternoon, and he said while the door’s not closed on the Wild with pending free agent Marian Gaborik, July 1 is “very enticing” and it’ll be awfully tough to get Gaborik to relinquish the rare opportunity of getting to speak to 29 other teams.
But Salcer said he’s had one conversation with Wild GM Chuck Fletcher but wouldn’t discuss if an offer’s been made. As I wrote last week, I’m pretty sure the Wild plans to offer Gaborik a five-year deal in the $7 million range. He turned down a 10-year, $78.5 million deal last fall because he didn’t want to commit to 10 years in Minnesota when he wasn’t comfortable with the direction of the team on and off the ice. That’s from well-placed sources.
Everything’s changed since with Jacques Lemaire and Doug Risebrough gone, which actually does intrigue Gaborik. However, with free agency eight days away, if Gaborik decides to stay here, as I’ve said over and over again on here, I would be beyond shocked.
Plus, as you can see at this link, the Vancouver Province’s Jason Botchford is reporting that Gaborik’s bought a house in Vancouver. I’ve talked to Jason and he’s citing unidentified sources but feels like he’s very much confirmed this. I haven’t been able to confirm and Salcer said he has no knowledge.
IF true, IF there’s been contact made with Gaborik and he has some sort of inside information that he’s going to sign with Vancouver that he is comfortable enough to buy a home there, it should be a very interesting couple weeks. Teams are not permitted to contact pending free agents until 11 a.m. CDT July 1. That is tampering — plain and simple.
And if you remember, the Wild accused the Canucks of tampering last year with Pavol Demitra before he signed a two-year, $8 million deal with Vancouver.
It was confirmed that Demitra was in Vancouver looking for homes well in advance of free agency, and his former agent is now the Canucks’ GM, Mike Gillis. The league looked into the situation at the Draft and eventually dropped the Wild’s charge around the time Demitra signed there.
If a team is ever found guilty of tampering, it can be fined lots of mula and draft picks.
Gaborik couldn’t be reached for comment, so I wasn’t able to ask him about the Province’s report.
But Salcer did speak to me.
Asked if Gaborik bought a home in Vancouver, Salcer said, “I have no knowledge of that at all. I know nothing about that. Nothing.”
Asked if he’s had conversations with Gillis, Salcer said, “None.”
Chuck Fletcher wouldn’t comment on the Gaborik situation, other than to say he feels it important to keep everything close to the vest at this point.
“There’s nothing I can comment on with the whole Gaborik situation,” Fletcher said. “I’m just going to work through things and we’ll see how it plays out.”
However, he continues to have trade talks with several teams and is hoping to make a move or two in advance of or at the Draft itself. He continues to be entrenched in Dany Heatley talks, which besides the assets, would cost any team a $4 million signing bonus July 1 and then a $4 million salary during the season.
Ottawa GM Bryan Murray has made clear that if the Sens pay that signing bonus, he’s staying there this season. So something should happen at the Draft.
But Fletcher’s involved in a number of things. He’s still definitely dangling Josh Harding. By the way, Niklas Backstrom’s no-trade doesn’t kick in until July 1, but Fletcher says he’s not entertaining trading him: ”No. I haven’t. I mean, no. Nik’s our goalie. Nik’s our goalie for next year.”
Fletcher’s keeping everything close to the vest.
“There’s always lots and lots of talk and things tend to happen at the Draft itself or a day or two before,” said Fletcher, who arrived in Montreal on Tuesday. “It’s certainly playing to form. You just don’t know. Everybody is talking to everybody, so you never know how serious things are.
“What I’m finding is you talk to a team one week and the next week things may have changed. So there’s things certainly I’m focused on and we’re having lots of conversations.”
96 Responses to "Gaborik buy house in Vancouver? Salcer has “no knowledge of that”"
Michael - you are the best. Thanks!
Vermont…coffee-flavored ice cream, Michael? 
Don’t forget the maple syrup…
Great stuff, as always. Heatley scares me, and not in a good way. He’s got more baggage than an Airbus A380. And, his cap number is a real deal-killer, to me at least. Wild will have to shead a lot of salary to make Heatley fit.
hey mike long time reader first time commenter. here come the backstrom rumors
Anywhere but Vancouver, Gabby. Anywhere.
Russo, has any NHL team ever actually been found guilty of tampering by the league? Or is it one of those hard-to-prove things that is probably rampant, but impossible to enforce?
As if we needed another reason to hate Vancouver! They love picking up our scraps. Demitra, Chuinard, Park, Mitchell, Carney, the list goes on. Gaborik would be the cherry on top.
I’d trade a 2nd and 3rd round draft pick to see Vancouver go down in a tampering case.
Wow I absolutely despise Ron Salcer.
“So Gaborik bought a house?”
“uhhh…I know NOTHING about that! You hear me? I know nothing! You can’t implicate me!! AHH WHERE’S MY MONEY I GOTTA GET OUTTA HERRRREEE”
Forget Heatley. Please forget Heatley. We could buy three quality wings for the price it would cost to bring that guy in. In fact, we could probably sign Mike Cammalleri PLUS two fifty point a year wings for that price. I mean, Miettinen costs $2 million a season, and he could’ve easily had 60 points this past year in a Richards type offense. Forget Heatley. He’s a brat, and he’s not worth the dough. AND, forget Gaborik. Let him walk. We need three to four lines of studs, not one or two superstars. Look how far that’s got us to this point.
Just what does it take to prove tampering? Does the league need realtor testimony, Watergate recordings, or a June 21st contract found hidden in a file cabinet bearing a “Beware the leopard” sticker in the Canuck’s basement?
“I know nothing about that” is a none answer.
Wow, two years in a row.
He went Sgt. Schultz on you, eh, Mike? “I… know… NOTHIIIIING!”
Maybe you should give him some chocolate and he’ll talk.
I’m kinda hoping they don’t get Heatley. I’d rather see the money go elsewhere.
“And, his cap number is a real deal-killer”
As long as that’s all he kills.
It’s my Boogie’s Birthday!!!!!
Happy birthday Boogie!!!
I hope Dumb and Dumber spring for a cake where ever they stay tonight on the road trip.
Jay Ferguson is not just some shirtless dude on an island with storms…
Good one!
$alcer…if I needed an agent, I’d definitely give him a call…
Gabby is gone, good luck in Vancover. “The 2009 version of Marion Hossa” I hate Vancouver, let me count the ways…
Great stuff as always “Don”, I was going through withdrawls not hearing any news.
No Danney Heatley … please!
If anyone wants to re-live the 2004 draft it’s on the NHL Network
don’t mind heatley……good luck in cunuck land….
enjoy him cunuckleheads!!!
good luck was to gabby btw
BG: Between the two of ‘em, D & D’er couldn’t scrape up enough extra coins to buy Boogaard a Hostess Cupcake, muke less a real cake!
jayferguson: I see for once we’re thinking the same way. +1
kj: Read the stuff on Salcer’s family. He really doesn’t need this gig…believe me when I say that.
Gaby to Vancouver? The most self-absorbed UFA to play for the most self-absorbed NHL city? Why does that not surprise me, if it is indeed true?
Salcer probably does know nothing about Vancouver, Gaborik, or a possible contract. Gillis might have passed the info through Demitra.
I just remember last year that the Wild were more sure of Bruno wanting to come back because some of the current players knew about it and passed it on to DR and Co.
Russo’s Gaby story is up - http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/48948301.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DU2EkP7K_V_GD7EaPc:iLP8iUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
I like the insight Russo, I found this story the other day and shared it with the forums though….somebody is slacking
Trade Backstrom, keep Harding.
Well I hear Vancouver is beautiful so maybe he just wants to live there.(:
so gabs buys a house…. lets his buddy hossa stay in the basement till he finds one of his own, all the comrades together… in canucklehead town…
Someone pinch me, I’m dreaming. The only way it gets better is if my other duck-related objects of hate get traded to Vancouver….
and in the first regular season home game we call up Kassian, Tim “Dr Hook” McCracken, Ross “Mad Dog” Madison, Clarence “Screaming Buffalo” Swamptown, Andre “Poodle” Lussier, Gilmore Tuttle, and Bill Goldthorpe.
DK9: You’re not bringing up Ogie?!
Well Demitra and Gaborik are friends. So this means one of two things
option 1: Demitra told Gaby about a hot real estate deal Gaby could make money on
option 2: Gaby has a hot real estate deal and it is likely that Vncouver will get his rights so he cant lose either way
Reading Russo article you can tell its over. For entertainments sake let it be Vncouver. Now that will be fun
No place would be better for Gaby to go then Vncouver. I am buying extra tickets tomorrow
Is it not a little ironic that Gaby may actually end up playing for what might now be the most defensive-oriented team in the West - and not because he re-signed with the Wild?
Is it not a little ironic that Gaby may actually end up playing for what might now be the most defensive-oriented team in the West - and not because he re-signed with the Wild?
+1
I was thinkin that very thought KiPA.
Hehe… Okay, I like it. But were they SO defensive-oriented because they had to be due to lack of scoring or because that’s just how they are?
I think it was because they have terrible goaltending…
I assume you realize Luongo’s stats almost matched Backstrom’s?
You wonder if tampering allegations coming from Leipold/Fletcher might not carry a little more weight than from Smug. I know CL was on board then, but just barely. And I never got the feeling Toronto much listened to complaints from Smug.
You know guys. I think that if I was to say who the two best players to ever play in a Minnesota pro team uniform were I would have to say Gaborik and Modano. These guys were solid. Bobby Smith, Goldy, Maruk were good but those two guys are the best.
I think it would be ironic but not out of the question if Modano was to return to Minnesota and Gaborik would leave
Stoned on the breakaway: This may be the one way that the Wild can get something for Gaby. Tampering brings a number 1 pick
Gunslinger: I would bet if the Wild brought in a fired up Modano he could outperform Gaby for 1 year. I think it would be cool if Modano was in a Wild uniform. Concession would be huge
OK there, “Mudslinger”…if you were Fletcher, what would you trade to get Modano? He’s still under contract to Dallas you know.
Kevin in PA . I would think Modano could be part of the changes going on in Dallas. They may not keep his salary and he could be released.
I suppose that’s possible, but it would be mighty disrespectful of the organization to cut a guy like Modano.
Plus they seem to have plenty of cap space, with $16 million available for a few players. I’m not sure money is an issue.
Here is my final thought for the evening. Mudslinger, put the crack pipe down first of all
What if the Wild are getting something in return for Gaby by letting him discuss contract options exclusively with Vancouver and nobody knows it
Kevin in PA- Gaborik is the top free agent. It could very well be possible that Fletcher will allow a team to negotiate exclusively with Gaborik for draft picks in exchange.
If you say that Dallas has 16 million- Maybe Fletch gives Dallas the right to negotiate with Gaby exclusively for the rights to Modano ? Just an example. I cant imagine I am right here
staring into the crystal ball, I see gaby someplace else (sorry to say) with little or no return to the wild…thanks doug aka smug. Chuck starts with his hands tied.
In the new system, the MSCB predicts that Villeaux is gone, Skoula is gone, MB has a good chance to stay, fan favorite D. Boogard is gone.
Lastly, you think you have issues with MKIA? Just wait till you have to debate logic with MSCB!
With the 12th pick of the 2009 NHL draft, the Minnesota Wild select Ryan Ellis(D) of the Windsor Spitfires(OHL)
I assume you realize Luongo’s stats almost matched Backstrom’s?
I assumed you’d be able to tell I wasn’t serious.
I figured you were…but sometimes it’s hard to tell. 
Wild GM Chuck Fletcher, who just took over from the fired Doug Risebrough, has a close relationship with Murray.
It’s believed the Wild could offer centre James Sheppard, defenceman Tyler Cuma or winger Cal Clutterbuck.
Minnesota is also trying to move defenceman Marek Zidlicky, centre Eric Belanger and winger Derek Boogaard.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/2009/06/24/9907481-sun.html
I feel sorry for anyone that signs Gabrielle. We know every team in the league will be trying to take him out. It is obvious that he bought a house in couver because he is playing there. Im an idiot and I can figure that one out. I think it would be fun to trade him to New Jersey, for their team bus, then NJ hires Lemaire, hehe.
I heard that the GTRCMBSHP is closing it’s doors on June 30th…
Wow. Apparently I pissed someone off enough to warrant my own MKiA personality.
So do we have any friends in the realty business who can confirm/deny the purchase? I don’t know if that’s possible (legality, different country, etc), but I would think someone would be able to determine if he actually signed his name on the dotted line for a house.
So if Gabby goes to Vancouver, does that make the Sedins more attractive as rebuttal? I know a lot of you hate those guys, but if the Wild are moving toward a puck control type game, there aren’t a lot of players much better than those two at keepaway.
Also, I think Clutterbuck is safe. If we’re going to be all about the forecheck and turnovers, why trade our best forechecker and turnover creator?
I was about to post that FFS… nearly made me cry when I read it.
Say Russo, enough of your mancrush on boogy already. Get a room.
If Canucks sign Gabriella, Makes it highly unlikey they are able to resign the Sedin’s. The wild can make a play for them. I would take the sedin twins over Gabby any day
Just read this tweet from Backy’s goalie coach in Finland (who… I kinda give more credit to for his shootout turnaround than to Mason):
JukkaRopponen Good new, Nikke Bäckström passed post surgery medical exams yesterday and we can start our ice workouts next monday when he gets back to Fin
Leave Boogy alone Fletch. He is our guy. You better be dead on in the win loss column if you mess with Boogy and his fans. I told you Fletch worry about the draft picks next year. It is quite obvious. Next year Fletch you will have all your prcious draft picks. Leave Boogy alone
Gunslinger says:
June 24th, 2009 at 7:47 am
So do we have any friends in the realty business who can confirm/deny the purchase? I don’t know if that’s possible (legality, different country, etc), but I would think someone would be able to determine if he actually signed his name on the dotted line for a house.
One would think that the transfer of title for a house/property would be a matter of public record. Of course one would also think that it might take a few days/weeks for the records to be filed and available for review.
Is MKIA going crazy with the pseudonyms again today??
Leave Boogy alone Fletch. He is our guy.
Seriously? Since when?
It’s believed the Wild could offer centre James Sheppard, defenceman Tyler Cuma or winger Cal Clutterbuck.
NNooooOOoooO!!!! Please don’t move C-Buck Fletcher. He was definitely the best energy player on the Wild last year. I don’t know why you would want to trade him away. Of course, it depends on what you get in return, but I can’t imagine being happy to see C-Buck go.
I like how the ‘nuck fans in the news artcile were posting that gaborik will take a discount for about 4 mil/year. someone mentioned 8yr/40M even…
I like how the ‘nuck fans in the news artcile were posting that gaborik will take a discount for about 4 mil/year. someone mentioned 8yr/40M even…
I’ll have some of whatever they are smoking.
“Methinks,the man protests too much”;-)
know nothiing….well, rubbish!
I’ll have some of whatever they are smoking.
+1
I like how MKiA posts with 10 different names and just kills the blog. No one wants to post and interrupt the conversation he is hainvg with himself.
I like how MKiA posts with 10 different names and just kills the blog
I like how he isn’t even subtle any more. Moving from MKiA to Wally to “Mudslinger” (after calling me Mudslinger as MKiA), only seconds apart.
Moving from MKiA to Wally to “Mudslinger” (after calling me Mudslinger as MKiA), only seconds apart.
Well he does have a rapists wit.
If Gabby buying a house isn’t denied by Gaby himself, the Wild won’t be able to trade his negotiation rights away if he won’t sign in MN.
I really hope we don’t trade for Heatley. It would be awesome to have a player of that talent but I just don’t see how we can afford a player like that.
Goal production and goal prevention are the only things the Wild should be concerned with right now. That means fan favorites like Boogie and Clutterbuck are expendable, since they do very little to add/prevent goals. I enjoy watching these two guys, but their contributions to the win column are minimal. And I know that C-buck fires up the team and the crowd. But he spends more time on his butt than on his skates.
It would be awesome to have a player of that talent but I just don’t see how we can afford a player like that.
Since Johnsson is entering the last year of his deal that could be the long term contract swap. However, OTT has shown interest in #5 in the past so perhaps he is included in the deal.
Aren’t Heatley’s and Gho$t’s cap numbers a wash?
Gunslinger I was assuming you were calling yourself mudslinger because you have come to the conclusion that you are mudslinger
I was not playing you and I am sick and tired of people making fun of people with split personality
This blog would miss mister know it all if he was not here to keep everything straight
That means fan favorites like Boogie and Clutterbuck are expendable, since they do very little to add/prevent goals.
Boogie may do little, but C-Buck did his fair share of disrupting play and getting scoring chances. He didn’t score a ton of goals himself, but his checking was definitely a big contribution in many Wild golas this year. I think this teams needs someone like C-Buck. Especially since Fletcher wants to play an up-tempo forchecking style. That is Clutters game… he is quick, he checks hard, he skates hard, and he can pot a few extra goals.
*grinding my teeth at Otto*
What ATX said.
“This blog would miss mister know it all if he was not here to keep everything straight”
Let’s put this to a test.
Freakshow, take the next six months off from the Russo blog. Go haunt the Viking blog. If you are missed, you will be welcomed back.
“and he can pot a few extra goals”. What’s really on your mind, AustinTX?
Don’t get me wrong. I like C-buck. But I would prefer a grinder who finds the back of the net more often and stays on his feet, like Fedotenko from Pittsburg… who is an UFA, I think.
I agree on Clutters game Austin. I think he will be missed if he gets traded but then again it goes back to 3rd/4th liners being replaceable. Cal is still young though and could greatly improve. I see a lot of upside for him. Edmonton may just be dangling names of players they may want rather then names actually in play.
Sorry, I should have explained myself better. I don’t mean salary, I mean the assets it would require to get a player of that talent. Can we afford to give up two first round picks when we have very little coming down the pipeline? Not counting who we draft on Friday, Sheppard is the only prospect with a serious shot at becoming a top 6 forward and Cuma is the only prospect with top 4 defensive pairing potential.
If Heatley is unhappy with the situation in Ottawa why would he be happy playing for us while we re-tool our roster for the next couple seasons?
Cal is still young though and could greatly improve. I see a lot of upside for him.
I concur with this. Clutterstruck scored 11 goals in his first NHL season. Koivu only scored six. Not saying they are in the same league, but you never know what Buttertruck will grown into. In his third season he could be netting 20 goals. He has a pretty good shot, and he plays hard. I say keep him around and see what develops.
Fedo-tink-Oh is 30… The cannonball is 22. I’ll take the younger guy and hope he develops more.
SotB @ 11:28… I’m with ya on the Smug thing. I too doubt that Toronto listened to him much at all.
On the Modano / Dallas thing… Please, can we give that up. He may still be a serviceable player for another year or two, but is that really where we want to go? NO!!! And the whole “North Stars / MN connection / finish his career here” thing is getting old too. That money would be much better spent on other players.
Dallas is however another one of the teams that could be in for some rocky times ahead. Tom Hicks, the owner of both the Stars and the Texas Rangers baseball team is in deep, deep financial doo-doo these days and is already looking to dump controlling interest in the Rangers because of it. Couple that with a new GM barely removed from the ice with no front-office experience, and well….
Then look at situations in Tampa Bay (ownership issues and squabbles / team disarray), Florida (GM & coach), EDM (Quinn as new coach), CGY (salary cap issues up the arse), Colorado (GM & coach fiascos)…. Hey, it ain’t such a bad time to be a MN WIld fan right now. Out of all these teams, I honestly feel like we came out smelling like the perverbial rose so far this offseason.
On the Gabby thing…. How’s this for a scenario that would make Alan jump off his firehydrant:
1) Gabby signs with VAN. Then in training camp or soon after blows out the groin again and misses much of the season.
2) The Pavmeister gets bumped into by the towel boy at practice, or any player on the ice half his size during a game for that matter, and immediately misses his customary 20 games because of it. This, of course, occurs at least once more during the season.
3) The Canuckleheads are found guilty of tampering and must ante-up $1 million in fines and hand over a 1st round pick to the Wild.
Sweeeeeeeet………
Otto,
While I agree with you re: C-Horse spending too much of the game laying on the ice (after throwing himself around), he did score 11 goals in primarily a checker’s role. Imagine what his goal total would be if he replaced Mitten’s, skated with Koivu and saw some PP time. And he’s only 21. (not saying he should have skated with Koivu, just trying to make a point). I hope that C-Nile dials back the hit count a bit and puts that energy into offense
NutterButter is one of the few bright spots on this roster IMO.
*deep breath*
Anyway…
I’m not crazy about this Heatley deal. I wouldn’t be disappointed to see that not happen.
FOod
Don’t worry Ms.C, we got your back on the C-buck.
Yes, ms.conduct?
- Aren’t Heatley’s and Gho$t’s cap numbers a wash?
With the new Backs contact kicking in next year, he kind of replaced Gaby - 6.3 to 6.0 million
- Call me a Kool Aid drinking saner version of MKIA but if the Wild keeps Gaby or gets Heatly or another high end goal scorer I don’t see this as a re-tooling effort even with the change in systems. Not saying the team would challenge for home ice next year but they should be in the playoff hunt. Hell, everyone but the Islanders usually are
- With the Gho$t prophecy ever closer to becoming true, I am becoming more pro Heatly. At first I was mostly against it - the buzz that the price might be low helps.
AustinTX & Pewters: you both make good points. But if given a choice between C-buck and Fedotenko, I’ll take a proven Stanley Cup winner and veteran like the Tank. But again, let me say that Cal is a fun player to watch. I just think he has more value as trade bait than on this team. My apologies, Ms Conduct.
heatley is an awesome sniper. if PMB doesn’t go the other way, think about PMB+Heatley. it would blow PMB+Rolston away
Clutterbuck won’t be going anywhere, my wife just got her jersey signed (Gilles too). She also got Shep & Harding. She kinda got the impression that when she got Harding’s that he was somewhat resigned (and excited) about the opportunity to be a #1 somewhere else.
“I like how MKiA posts with 10 different names and just kills the blog.”
Like with Heatley, that’s fine as long as that’s all he kills.
