Free agency begins this Wednesday in the NHL. Marian Gaborik, the last member of the original Wild team, is an unrestricted free agent. Gaborik has been the Wild's best player over the years. He's flashy, and has displayed the ability to score goals in streaks on pace with any other player in the league. In his career, Gaborik has played 502 games with the Wild, scored 219 goals and added 218 assists. He is a plus-54 in those 502 games, which is excellent. Gaborik has certainly meant a lot to the Wild franchise.It's time, however, to let Gaborik go.
It has been reported that Gaborik has turned down a contract offer from the Wild in the 10-year, $80 million range. For a sport that will have a $56.8 million salary cap in 2009, $8 million a year for one player is a pretty decent offer. It's also a pretty decent offer to a guy who has not shown the ability to stay healthy. He played only 17 games for the Wild in 2008-09, and his absence most likely cost the team a playoff berth. He simply cannot be counted on to stay on the ice.
If the Wild do not resign Gaborik, they will have roughly $10-12 million to spend on additional players this year. Personally, I'd rather see them bring in 3 or 4 solid players with that money than simply retain Gaborik. Marian Hossa, by the way, would look awfully good in a Wild sweater. It really is too bad, of course, that the previous Wild regime could not figure out a trade with Gaborik so they could get something in return. Now, the team will most likely lose him for nothing. This is a big reason former GM Doug Risebrough is no longer affiliated with the Wild.
It's been rumored that Marian Gaborik has purchased a house in Vancouver, and will sign a contract with the hated Canucks, reuniting him with his buddy Pavol Demitria. This would certainly suck with the Canucks being the Wild's biggest rival.
This shouldn't change the Wild's mind, however. It's time to let Gaborik go, and take the $10-12 million and start rebuilding this team. We'll see Wednesday.
Jeff
6 comments:
Four hours into Free Agency and Gabby is still a Wild. Also Vancouver signs the Sedin Bros so unlikely they have cap room for Gabby too.
I cannot believe Hossa's contract with Chicago - 12 years???? That is ridiculous!
Sounds like Mary Ann signed with the Rangers. See ya later...
Signing Martin Havlat from Chicago is a good start for the Wild!
Havlat is a really nice player for the Wild. He is also very injury prone.
Hossa's contract with the Hawks is ridiculous! As a Wings fan, I am not surprised he left but those numbers are outrageous.
dools - Havlat can't possibly be as injury prone as Gaborik. If he plays 25 games we're coming out ahead!
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