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Home | Sports | Minnesota Wild

Gaborik has surgery to address hip 'pinch'

David Joles, Star Tribune

Coach Jacques Lemaire saw Marian Gaborik have his most productive regular season with the Wild: 42 goals and 41 assists.

The Wild's star played this season with a torn labrum. He is expected to be fully recovered in two months.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: May 2, 2008 - 9:09 PM

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Marian Gaborik underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right hip joint Friday morning in Vail, Colo., after it was discovered the Wild right winger had been playing with a torn labrum.

After a postseason physical and consultation with team doctors, the Wild sent Gaborik to Dr. Marc Philippon, one of the world's leading orthopaedic hip surgeons who used to treat Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.

"[Gaborik's] had this pinching feeling in his hip for pretty well the whole year," General Manager Doug Risebrough said Friday. "It hadn't prevented him from playing and playing very well. But we, and him specifically, really wanted to pursue options of getting relief from it.

"[Dr. Philippon] felt if he had surgery, there was a good chance the pinching feeling would go away, so Marian decided to go ahead with it."

According to Risebrough, Gaborik, who scored a career-high 42 goals and 83 points this past season, said his hip began hurting last summer. In late October into November, Gaborik missed five out of seven games because of a groin injury.

Risebrough and assistant GM Tom Lynn said Friday that at the time, doctors injected his hip with cortisone, feeling that if they relieved his hip of the pinch, it would help loosen up his groin.

Gaborik returned and took off, scoring 38 goals and 32 assists in his final 65 uninterrupted games after a slow first month.

Gaborik had no goals and one assist in six playoff games. Asked if he felt the hip problem hindered Gaborik in the postseason, Risebrough said, "Marian wouldn't say that. He said all along, 'I could play with it.' Now, he just decided he'd like to see if he can play without it."

Risebrough said Gaborik would stay in Colorado for his initial recovery and rehabilitation for 10 to 14 days before returning to the Twin Cities. He should be fully recovered in two months -- "well ahead of training camp," Risebrough said.

Risebrough expects Gaborik will spend most of the summer getting treatment in the Twin Cities rather than returning to his native Slovakia.

Gaborik's agent, Ron Salcer, could not be reached for comment.

This offseason could determine Gaborik's long-term future with the Wild.

He is entering the last year of a contract that pays him $7.5 million next season. Because he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Wild plans to meet with Gaborik this summer to determine if he is willing to sign a long-term extension in Minnesota. Thus far, Gaborik has been noncommittal publicly.

Last week, Risebrough said, "It's a very good time for a very good conversation with Gabby. Obviously that discussion is about what does he want to do in the future and what do we want to do in the future. ... You want to make sure everybody's comfortable with where everybody's going."

The Wild can't begin negotiations on an extension with Gaborik until July 1.

If Gaborik is unwilling to sign an extension this summer or the Wild can't iron out a deal, the Wild might consider trading Gaborik this summer.

It's a risk to let Gaborik play out the final year of his contract. No team would want to let an asset as valuable as Gaborik walk away without getting fair compensation.

It's also dangerous to continue negotiations next season. It would be an open, ongoing public topic, proven this past season when the Atlanta Thrashers desperately tried to sign Marian Hossa, one of Gaborik's close friends.

In the end, the Thrashers collapsed and were forced to trade Hossa to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Last week, Gaborik said he doesn't want to live out the Hossa situation.

"I don't think it would be good for [either] side to be in that situation," Gaborik said. "That situation was a distraction for everybody [in Atlanta]."

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