Wild's Gaborik hits the ice, but return still unclear

Coach Jacques Lemaire is eager to get his star in a game, but the team is cautiously easing him back from his injury.

By Michael Russo, Star Tribune

Last update: November 27, 2006 - 9:37 PM

Sent off to Vancouver to receive physiotherapy on his injured groin, Marian Gaborik felt more like a castaway than a member of the Wild the past five-plus weeks.

So Monday morning, Gaborik's reaction after he took the ice with his teammates for the first time in 38 days was predictable.

"Finally," he said.

Still, this was nothing for the slumping Wild to celebrate. Gaborik hasn't yet been cleared for contact. He left the ice after 20 minutes when shooting drills were complete.

This was just another stage in the team's conservative plan toward Gaborik's return -- whenever that may be.

"I was very excited to jump out with the guys, even for 20 minutes," said Gaborik.

Gaborik left the ice pain-free after doing stops and starts, accelerating from a standing position and shooting in stride. It's expected he'll be back on the ice today.

"I looked at him for the first time and said, 'Geez, he's skating like before he got injured,' " coach Jacques Lemaire said. "Myself, he looked like he's ready to play, but they want to take their time."

Lemaire referred to "they" a number of times but he wouldn't identify whether "they" was management, the trainers, the physiotherapist or all of the above.

Asked to whom he was referring, Lemaire replied, laughing: " 'They' is out of my reach. Everyone but me."

The Wild was 4-1 in its first five games without Gaborik but is 3-7-1 since.

"They're going through some tough times," Gaborik said. "It's hard to watch, and you can't really help out. I'm looking forward to jump back on and hopefully go through the season and help the team to win."

The Wild has also been without Pavol Demitra (concussion) the past three games and center Wes Walz for eight games this season.

"Take [2005-06 MVP Joe] Thornton, his line out of San Jose, you tell me how many games they'll win," Lemaire said. "We lost our top line. We've got to suffer a bit.

"Guys are working hard. They're doing their best. They're trying. ... We've played a lot of games, we've played with three lines ... all the traveling. You've got to give our guys a break just a bit there."

Lemaire is fighting to keep the team's confidence up.

"They'd love the first line to come back, too, get some help," Lemaire said. "I know after losses they don't feel that good, but we're trying to pep them up.

"... When things were going really well, it was great, it was so much fun to be part of this. Now it's a little tougher. We don't sleep as well. We're stressed a little more. It's not as nice as it was, but hey, that's the job.

"We have to try to get it back to where it was."

Etc.

• The Wild recalled minor-league winger Matt Foy, who has seven points in his past four games for Houston and 11 goals and 22 points this season. Of Benoit Pouliot's three-game stint, Lemaire said, "[The NHL's] a big step. I know he's going to play one day, but he still has a lot of things to learn." Pouliot, recalled Sunday, had one shot on goal in his latest stint, averaging about 7 minutes of playing team each game.

• Walz, Derek Boogaard (ankle) and Jason Morgan (thigh) skated lightly Monday.

Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com