Report: Marian Gaborik Purchases House in Vancouver

Vancouver Province writer Jason Botchford is reporting on The White Towel blog that Slovakian winger Marian Gaborik has purchased a house in Vancouver. Gaborik is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and is not expected to re-sign with the Minnesota Wild.

More on this story is expected in the June 24 edition of the Vancouver Province.

Prior to July 1 last season. Pavol Demitra was shown around in Vancouver by then-Canucks captain Markus Naslund and subsequently signed with the team on July 10. Demitra was also Mike Gillis' former client.

The Minnesota Wild accused the Canucks of tampering and were investigated by the NHL, but no wrong doing was found.

In the same report, Botchford says Pavol Demitra and Marian Gaborik are apparently close friends. In addition, he says partly for the firing of the general manager and coach in Minnesota is so they could institute a run and gun style to sway their 3rd overall pick in 2000 into staying in the Twin Cities.

It would not come completely as a shock to me if we hear that Marian Gaborik has signed with the Canucks next Wednesday.

Botchford on his Twitter page is reporting that Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo is building a new home in Nicola Valley in the British Columbia Interior.

This probably does not necessarily mean that Roberto Luongo will re-sign with the team soon or ever. The Nicola Valley home could just be built to serve as vacation home, something many players have, and can afford to have.