There is a lot of talk around the NHL on the future of Marian Gaborik. Many rumors indicate that Gaborik, Minnesota's best offensive player, will be traded soon. I'm here to tell you he won't be leaving Minnesota anytime soon.
Gaborik posted more than 80 points and 40 goals last season, franchise and personal season records. He is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and can move the puck very well.
That is all great, but problems with his groin have kept him out of lineup most of this season. Two seasons ago, Gaborik missed 34 games with a groin injury and has had consistent problems in years past.
Lets look at why Minnesota wont be trading Gaborik...at least not yet.
Contract
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Gaborik rejected several offers from the Wild. The newspaper reported those contracts could have been worth $9-10 million a year. Another report suggested one offer was a multi-year $85 million contract, so it is evident Gaborik is looking for some more money.
It is in my belief that Minnesota bought out Mark Parrish not necessarily for his poor point production, but to make room to re-sign Gaborik. Parrish was recently signed as a free agent by Dallas and, in his debut, recorded a hat-trick.
If Gaborik has rejected those offers from Minnesota, how much is he looking for? Better yet, who has the salary cap room or the will to spend that kind of money?
One specific rumor that had been floating around the league was the possibility of Gaborik going to Montreal. Montreal is a solid team and a contender to go far into the playoffs. But in order to acquire Gaborik in a trade Montreal has to give up a few things too, and few believe Montreal would be willing to give a lot for Gaborik.
Health
Marian Gaborik has consistently had health issues, specifically with his groin and right leg. This season he has only appeared in two games and continues to nurse what the team is calling a "lower body injury."
Gaborik has missed considerable playing time in three of the past seven seasons, and with this season it would be four out of eight.
On average in those seasons he was injured Gaborik missed roughly 15-20 games. The worst turn out was in the 2006-2007 season where Gaborik only appeared in 48 of 82 games.
On a front office prospective, with Gaborik injured he has no worth. Minnesota cannot trade Gaborik because teams do not want a high-paid player sitting on the bench injured. Yes Gaborik has potential and even in those seasons where he missed considerable time he put up a lot of points.
Minnesota, if they are going to trade a high-caliber offensive player, would like to get something in return but they would get nothing of value in return.
23 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Junior Nelson 8 months ago
Smart analysis. My problem with most fan-generated material is that fans don't always stay up to date. Often, as in virtually all the Sundin/Shanahan articles, they use old info to bolster thier POV. Then, if anyone disagrees, the "discussion" quickly degenerates into name-calling. One guy in Vancouver has over a hundred (ascerbic,idiotic) comments and NO ARTICLES! Sorry for yelling. This sort of stuff wrecks it for everybody.Why spend a lot of time sharing reasoned arguements or analysis if all you get back is "you are stoopid and we (the team and I?) won't do what you say because you are a moron." I, personally, want to hear from people that know about hockey. That's why I look for your (and Miah and a few others) stuff.
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
Thanks Junior, i appreciate that and yes i completely agree with your point. Its too bad that some people take it that far, that why i stay up to date and use other sources to make sure im using the lastest and best information possible.
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Branden Leeman 8 months ago
i hope that gaborik never leaves so i hope your right he is one of my fav players actuly my 2nd fav player in the nhl and i hope that he stays in minnesota because i also love the wild
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
Yes i would love for him to stay in Minnesota, but my gut tells me that he wont be. After learning about the contract offers he rejected from the Wild, i was pretty sure then his days in Minnesota were numbered.
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Peter Tumbas 8 months ago
Who is your first?
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Bobby Russell 8 months ago
Maybe he's frustrated with Minnesota's system. I know that Lemaire gives him a little more freedom than the other players, but my guess is that Gaborik wants to play in the Eastern Conference. There's more emphasis on skating and passing in the East, and the defensemen aren't as physical.
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
yes that would make sense, his speed is his greatest weapon especially in transition situations. However in the stanley cup finals you will still have to face a tough physical western conference team, so he still has to overcome that obstacle. I think his biggest draw back is his injuries, if you give him open ice he will beat you. Also if the defenseman in the east arent as physical they definetly can move better though, which could be a bigger obstacle than passing by a slow truck on the ice.
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Andrew Mason 8 months ago
great article. I thought for sure Minnesota would want trade him before he gets injured likely he usually does. Which exactly has happened and he is hurting his value and his contract for after this year. With him in only playing two games so far it is hard for Minnesota to demand much in return for him at this point. Gaborik is going to need to play in every game from now on to prove he is worth a huge contract. It will certainly be an interesting situation as Gaborik has already rejected deals from Minnesota.
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
Totally agree with you andrew, i thought as many other Minnesota fans that he would be traded before the regular season started, and yes he will have to play in every game and rack up some points in a hurry if he really wants to move to a new team or just to impress his current team. Even if he is not traded, and becomes a free agent Gaborik still needs to play well in order to have any team take interest. His injury problems are definetly going to a front concern for anytime thinking of signing him.
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Paul C 8 months ago
I have a feeling Gabby may be leaving the State of Hockey however...as we're doing just fine w/o him (2nd in division, 5th in conference), so if we trade him for someone equally as good that's not injury prone, we may be able to go far?
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
Yes i think that would be a viable option, i know one big reason why Minnesota has cooled down is the extensive injury list. i would support that and even with some high draft picks and hopefully pick up some young talent as well.
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Matt Brehaut 8 months ago
Very good piece, but your point about the money that Gaborik is possibly seeking may only be an issue in Minnesota.
I would imagine Minnesota, State of Hockey or not, has a hard time attracting and maintaining talented players due to the demographics and geographics of the area, much like the Edmonton Oilers.
Gaborik might be quite happy to play for $8 million or less in Detroit, New York or maybe even L.A., similar to Marian Hossa's move to the Wings in the off-season for $7 million a year, rejecting a $9 million dollar offer from the Oilers.
If Gaborik is truly rejecting contracts of the size rumoured, then he simply does not want to be a Wild.
And the more he is criticized in the local media for rejecting these offers, the less likely he'll be in Minnesota come March 5th.
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
Yes matt i believe in some fashion you may be right. I think it has the same to do with Hossa. As Gaborik's career has moved forward the push to win a stanley cup becomes great, something you loose sleep over. I think he may be looking to get on a team that has a good chance to win a cup, cause after all isnt that what every hockey player dreams of when the lace up the skates for the first time? So yes i see that point, but its hard to speculate right now with him being injured and with the Wild front office as quiet as they are, we wont know much until it happens if it happens.
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Peter Tumbas 8 months ago
Send him to Pittsburgh please. Thank you
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
If that did happen, it would be a dangerous line-up. however very un-realistic in my belief because pittsburgh had to re-sign a bunch of their players and with the already big contracts of malkin and crosby, i dont think they have the salary cap room number one, and then i also think pittsburgh wants to return to the finals and win the cup. After what happened last year, they will be looking at anything to get there, and bringing in a player who has injury problems and as of late has not done well in posting playoff points, may not be in their best interest. they would have to give some things to minnesota for him and i dont think they want to change much in pittsburgh.
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Peter Tumbas 8 months ago
They have the cap room, they threw 7 at Hossa, problem was he didn't want it.
I'd be curious to see where the fastest player in the league who loves being injured and is asking for at least 3 million more than he deserves ends up. Because he's not going to be wild much longer.
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Jim Selbo 8 months ago
Good article. It is my feeling that the Wild have a feeling that Gabby will not be sticking around. I think they new this early on and that is one of the reasons they brought in Antti Miettinen as a "sudo" replacement. THey are pretty tough skates to fill though.
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
i agree with you jim, something tells me early on they knew. but then again they could have just been preparing for it to, and not expecting it. think of the oppodite, suppose they did manage to re-sign him, minnesota would finally have some depth at offense for once, something they have been missing in the playoffs.
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Daniel Skiston 8 months ago
Send him to the Hawks will give you havlat(whos also always hurt too) and some one else!
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Nick Maxson 8 months ago
as much as i would love havlat i dont think the chicago fan base who is energized and now believes inlcuding myself they will be returning to the playoffs this year would like that very much. but hey, i guess anything is possible, and like i mentioned above, we wont know of anything with Gaborik till it happens, so i suppose anything is possible.
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Daniel Skiston 8 months ago
there would have to be way to much cap spaced to be cleared for Gaborik, that would mess up a really good thing the hawks have going right now. It would be amazing to have another world class player on the hawks
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Steven Daleiden 7 months ago
Hey Nick great article im a diehard wild fan and gaborik was always a favorite of mine just cuz i thought he was the heart of our offense, but after this year i would love nothing more than to see him go. It's a "rebuilding" year and we still have one of the best lines in the nhl with the AMA line, i read some rumor about him going to Buffalo in return for Afinogenov(spelling), and two others which seems plausible.. keep the articles coming.
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Nick Maxson 7 months ago
Thanks Steve! yes Gaborik is one of my favorite athletes as well, and it would be nice to have the offense he has, but im in your boat i think its time to part ways. Yes this is a rebuilding year, and i like the additions we have made and that AMA line has been playing fantastic. Zidlicky finally made our offense known from the blue line on thursday night. Ive heard that rumor as well, and afinogenov has great speed with gaborik and great offensive ability, he could be a viable trade for both teams, we will see if that actually happens.
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