Gaborik targets Sunday for long-awaited return

Last update: March 20, 2009 - 2:16 AM

Minutes after Wild coach Jacques Lemaire said a player must decide when to come back from injury, forward Marian Gaborik on Thursday all but declared himself ready to go.

He is not expected to play tonight in New Jersey. But Gaborik, who scored a franchise-record 83 points last season, said he likely will return to action Sunday against Edmonton at Xcel Energy Center. He has not played since Dec. 23 and had left hip surgery on Jan. 5.

"We'll probably shoot for Sunday's game," Gaborik said after an hour-long practice before the team took off for the East Coast. "I don't feel 100 percent; I don't feel close to 100 percent. ... I don't think I will be playing to my potential until next year. But I want to get close to it."

If he does return Sunday, it will come against a pivotal Northwest Division opponent. The Wild and Edmonton are neck-and-neck at the bottom of the Western Conference playoff race.

Even two months ago, Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said of the Wild and Oilers, "If one's going to finish in [the playoffs] and one's going to finish out, it'll likely be the one who wins the series."

The teams are tied at 2-2 this season.

BRIAN STENSAAS

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