Yeah, I can imagine the two Slovaks would both miss quite a few games playing for the Canucks. Pavol Demitra hasn't played a full 82 game season since 2001-2002 season. Marián Gáborík is no better and is known for being a oft injuried player missing a bunch of games the last 4 season (131). During his NHL hockey career Marián Gáborík has only played 81 games in a season once that was 2002-2003. So yeah if you want to play in Vancouver by all means pack your bags. The Canucks are also taking a big time gamble based on his injury status. So it does puzzles me why Gaborik turned down such a big contract offer from the Wild? Gabby has to know he more than likely he isn't going to get such an from another team.
Marian Gaborik’s agent said he has not “closed the door on the Wild.”
But amid an unsubstantiated report out of Vancouver that Gaborik’s already bought a home there, it’s clear it won’t be easy to get Gaborik to pass up the lure of free agency this close to the market opening.
“You never know what can happen,” agent Ron Salcer said Tuesday. “Right now, the only team we can talk to is the Minnesota Wild. I don’t like to say anything’s a foregone conclusion [that he’s leaving] because until July 1, it’s not going to be.
“But free agency is very enticing. To find out what’s available out there in a free market with 29 other teams would be interesting. But you never burn bridges and you wait to see what happens. So we’ll see where it goes.”
But with the strong likelihood of losing the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Wild GM Chuck Fletcher continues to hold trade talks with several teams, including Ottawa regarding two-time 50-goal scorer Dany Heatley, as the Draft approaches Friday and Saturday. [Startribune.com]
I don't know if there's any merit to his assertion he is not ruling out the Wild. It could just be smoke and mirrors to try to repair his reputation.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, the way he has strung the Wild along for the whole year and made it about him. The guy is selfish IMHO, makes me believe he is trying to look like hey see I haven't ruled it out. I think it is smugness. The fact that the new GM is trying to get some new talent appears almost as if he is planning to play without him.
ReplyDeleteRight. My thinking is Gaborik is doing this for show for other teams that would be worried about his attitude, ya know?
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