More on Gabby.

Is anyone getting nervous yet? I know I am. I am thinking the Wild are not going to sign Gabby and the Wild are going to be a more unexciting team to watch because of it. Maybe Doug Risebrough should start getting his resume ready if he loses Gabby he is going to be run out of town. Mark my work.

Nothing new on Marian Gaborik. As I wrote in Saturday’s paper, they both have their positions they’re sticking to right now.

– Gaborik wants to be paid as if he were a free agent.

– The Wild believes paying Gaborik north of $8.5 mill is more than reasonable. It allows him long-term security and allows the team the flexibility to help get Gaborik a supporting cast, which he wants.

The Wild wants to pay him in line with the extensions being given out now. And most guys who sign extensions sign for less than they’d get as a UFA.

Remember though, Vincent Lecavalier’s AAV might be $7.727, but that’s bogus because of the last three years of his deal bringing down the average dramatically. He’s essentially making $10 mill in the seven years after this season. Eric Staal’s average is $8.25 mill. Stastically, he’s more accomplished than Gaborik, and he led the league in playoff scoring the year Carolina won the Cup.

Tom Lynn says Staal’s contract ”is another contract relevant to these negotiations.” But the big difference? Staal was to be a restricted free agent, not unrestricted, which is a huge difference in the mind of Gaborik’s camp.

No doubt negotiations are at a delicate juncture. I’ve gotten a lot of emails that have said, “just trade him,” “he’s not Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, even Staal, so how do you pay him X. … ”

It’s not as simple as that though. Every team is in a different situation, and from a pure scorer standpoint, Gaborik is the Wild’s only bona fide sniper and noone else is on the horizon. Just imagine life without him.

Dany Heatley for Marian Hossa trades don’t happen everyday in the NHL. Stars aligned a few years back and Atlanta and Ottawa was able to make a star for star trade.

That likely won’t happen here if Gaborik is dealt. Sure, the Wild could likely get a strong package of players/picks back, but you’re not going to get fair value back — at least for the short-term.

Gaborik will have his choice to play most anyplace he wants next season, and he knows that. To get him to forgo that opportunity, the Wild will have to pay him, and probably overpay him. Go to NHLnumbers.com. Most teams can afford to pay Gaborik $9-10 million on a long-term deal next summer.
(Read the rest of the article here)