Agent says Gaborik hasn't ruled out return to Wild

The star forward isn't burning any bridges, but as free agency looms, a report claims Gaborik has purchased a home in Vancouver.

By MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Last update: June 24, 2009 - 1:00 PM

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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.
“There’s always lots and lots of talk and things tend to happen at the Draft itself or a day or two before,” said Fletcher, who arrived in Montreal on Tuesday. “It’s certainly playing to form. You just don’t know. Everybody is talking to everybody, so you never know how serious things are.

“What I’m finding is you talk to a team one week and the next week things may have change. So there’s things certainly I’m focused on and we’re having lots of conversations.”

As for Gaborik, Salcer said he’s had one conversation with Fletcher, but he wouldn’t discuss whether Fletcher’s made a contract offer.

Gaborik, 27, rejected a 10-year, $78.5 million deal last fall, most likely because of concerns about the long-term direction of the coaching and management. But since, coach Jacques Lemaire resigned and GM Doug Risebrough was fired.
“I don’t think we’re eliminating anything right now with Minnesota,” Salcer said. “Changes have been made, so maybe that’s encouraging.”

Salcer’s comments came while the Vancouver Province cited unidentified sources saying Gaborik’s bought a house in Vancouver. The Canucks were always expected to be a team that would pursue Gaborik, especially with his best friend, Pavol Demitra, being the former client of Canucks GM Mike Gillis.

However, if Gaborik bought a house in Vancouver because he is so convinced the Canucks plan to sign him, the Wild could have a future tampering allegation. Last year, Demitra, who spent two years with the Wild, was seen in Vancouver shopping for homes six weeks before free agency and eventually signed a two-year, $8 million deal.

The league, after warning the Canucks, eventually dropped a tampering allegation from the Wild. If it were ever proven the Canucks tampered with Gaborik, they could be fined up to $1 million and forced to give up draft picks to the Wild. In 1994, the New Jersey Devils received $1.4 million and a choice of one first-round picks over a five-year span after the St. Louis Blues tampered with Scott Stevens.

Gaborik could not be reached for comment.

Asked if Gaborik bought a home in Vancouver, Salcer said, “I have no knowledge of that at all. I know nothing about that. Nothing.”

Asked if he’s had conversations with Gillis, Salcer said, “None.”

Fletcher wouldn’t address Gaborik or the Vancouver Province report.

“There’s nothing I can comment on with the whole Gaborik situation,” Fletcher said. “I’m just going to work through things and we’ll see how it plays out.”

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