Gaborik

[maros91]

I read it on a reliable and reputable internet source.

[yakfisher]

Maybe we can get a deal like the one LA got for O'sullivan. I won't hold my breath, MN teams always seem to be on the wrong side of history making trades.

[walleyes12]

Make a move now!

[8-Ball]

Risedork will wait until it's too late to get anything for him (like, when he has his 1st pulled muscle or pulled groin muscle of the season). Can't stand Risedork. He was a good player but has made a lot of stupid moves as a GM. This is another example. If Gabby truly turned down 80 million than I am even more happy to let him go-cause he aint worth that amount, either.

[KMR85]

let him go to the KHL so all the soviets can cheer him on. it's less physical over there so he might stay healthy.

[Dahitman44]

I am also not a huge Gabby fan -- he is hurt a lot and lets us down when we need him most.

But what can we really get for him?

[yakfisher]

What's the point of having wheels and a good shot if you can't figure out how to use them together at the same time. He needs to learn how to finish and I'm not sure the wild are equipped to teach offensive skills. Trade him for a center that can win draws and make things happen.

[jwhjr]

I see they have him on IR now.

[Neighbor_guy]

Classic example a player who is done with a team. He want's to test the open market. The team wants to get something for their investment. If he plays up every possible minor thing that comes down the line, he is taking away his trade value.

Him being hurt hurts the team more than it does him.

[Walters]

Good Riddens......just give us something good for him in our trick or treat bag. We definately don't want another Torii Hunter ordeal. The Wild look really good without him. The off-season pickups are panning out great. We need some more tough skaters for When we make the playoffs, Gabby gave us all great memories and is a [PoorWordUsage] of a player but like others have pointed out he isn't right for this team. Lemaire doesn't like whiners!

[IFallsRon]

I think he's become a jake.

[WildCountry]

The only reason he is still with us is because they are only going to trade him when a team is desperate. No team is desperate right now so he will remain with the wild(playing or not) right up until the trade deadline when we can get some halfway decent deals. Hope he signs but good riddance if he doesnt

[8-Ball]

He's a "me-first" type player, obviously injury-prone, over-rated (apparently by his agent as well as himself)..and...a wuss. Goodbye Shirley and you are definitely not worth your CURRENT salary-let alone 10 Mil. Good grief.

[JimBuck]

I'd love to see him go. Injury prone, super streaky.....and worst of all.....INCONSISTENT. Let's spend some money!

[Hockey Guy]

Gaborik is an unproven playoff performer that can’t stay healthy. He has averaged playing in 69 games a year which is 84 percent (I was surprised it was this high actually). The reason he hasn’t been moved yet is that no other team is willing to pay him even close to what he wants. In fact, there aren’t any teams that want to pay him what he’s currently making with the Wild. If you look at his numbers (average ice time and points per game), he is in the neighborhood of a $5 million - $6 million per year player. Then you take those numbers times the average games played, that would put his value at around $4.2 million - $5 million per year.

Now the thing to remember is that Gaborik played a lot of games in the beginning of his career. If you look at the last 4 years (since his groin problems started) he is averaging 63 games per year which is 77 percent. This year he has only played in 2 of the Wild’s 15 games and it doesn’t sound like he will be back anytime soon. These last numbers are most likely what a GM will look at when they are considering acquiring Gaborik. He will most likely have to sign a one year contract with someone to prove that he can stay healthy and is worth his salary. Don’t look for that salary to be even close to what the Wild are currently paying him. If GM Doug Risebrough pays him more than $4 million - $5 million per season I think he’s crazy. Gaborik is one of the most dynamic players in the league right now when he’s healthy, but he’s not getting any younger. It’s safe to say that he will not get any faster than he is now, so he will have to greatly improve other areas of his game to stay on the ‘elite player’ list in the future.

I look for Gaborik to do one of three things:

1. Re-sign with the Wild for similar or less money than he makes now.

2. Sign with another team at the trade deadline that is willing to continue to pay him what the Wild are paying him for the rest of the season to help them in the playoffs.

3. Sign for HUGE money in the KHL and puts the NHL behind him.

[8-Ball]

HG- You hit the nail on the head-I have been saying this forever-he is injury prone and not worth what he is getting paid NOW-let alone 9-10 million. He and his agent are on crack if they think he is going to command that type of money. I have never been a fan of Gaborik. He is a me first player, always seems to either be on the IR or hobbled by some groin problem constantly, disappears in the playoffs (I know, except '03) and avoids contact and won't go into traffic if his life depended on it. OVERRATED and OVERPAID. I don't think there is a GM dumber than Risedork out there, and I hope Risedork is not dumb enough to cave in to Gaboriks demands. He is definitely not worth Crosby/Malkin?Ovechkin?Iginla-type $ and never will be. He's a wuss.

[archerystud]

I wouldn't mind see the Wild keep him IF the price was right.

I see that Stastny for Colorado just signed for 5y/33million. I think he is a better overall player than Gabby

[Gary Crichton]

You mean Gaborik is still with us (just kidding) and making all that money sitting on his butt. A lot of good that does anybody.

Get rid of him or get him healthy. I have not heard a time frame for his return, if ever.

G.C.

[setterguy]

I don't think there is a GM dumber than Risedork out there,

Wait a minute, this is the same guy who has drafted

Kouivu, Burns, PMB, Schutlz, and found Backstrom. I won't say I agree with all the moves he's made (trading O'sullivan for Demetria just to appease Gabby) but he has made some solid decisions as well...that is proved by our success without Gaborik.

[PierBridge]

Originally Posted By: 8-Ball

I don't think there is a GM dumber than Risedork out there,

Wait a minute, this is the same guy who has drafted

Kouivu, Burns, PMB, Schutlz, and found Backstrom. I won't say I agree with all the moves he's made (trading O'sullivan for Demetria just to appease Gabby) but he has made some solid decisions as well...that is proved by our success without Gaborik.

AGREED!

[8-Ball]

Fair enough- but things like getting zero at the deadline last year for the playoff run was brutal-unless you count how Simon did zero in the playoffs-he barely dressed. You telling me we couldnt have gotten something better than Simon at the deadline? Please. He better sign Backs now-if he waits til Spring he is a free agent and will be gone, like Rolston, who we could sure use to bury a few right now

[walleyes12]

The trade deadline is his biggest flaw, he always drops the ball year after year!

[setterguy]

What he ends up doing or not doing with Gabby will define his legacy as a GM here in MN. If we don't end up with one or two top line guys it will be a disaster...Gabby's groin isn't helping his market value any though either. I think fans clamor for trades and free agent signings, but the fact is many of them don't turn out. I know its a different sport but remember the feeling about drafting Mark Prior instead of Mauer...that has turned out pretty well. I don't have first hand knowledge of what deals were passed on but I would guess who ever we got would not have gotten us a Stanley Cup and with the core group of young guys I wouldn't have wanted to trade any of them for a rent a player.

[maros91]

like Rolston, who we could sure use to bury a few right now

Kind of hard to bury pucks from the IR. Been there pretty much the whole season.

[8-Ball]

At least Roli was a team guy and doesnt go on the IR for playing freakin hackey sack and sitting out 15 games like the wuss has done. No-one is going togo after Gabby at his current salary-let alone 9-10 large. He's damaged goods pretty much guaranteed to miss 15 games or more every year (except last). Who is going to give him 10 mil for missing 1 quarter of the season on a regular basis? I don't think teams are willing to give him his current salary w/ all his physical foibles. They clearly need to go out and get a proven scorer. Backstrom can't carry them for ever. That honeymoon is bound to end soon and when it does, we are in deep doo-doo.