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Wearing his green No. 10 helmet, green pants and striped red and green socks, Gaborik, feeling strong on his surgically repaired hip, sure looked like the Wild player who owns the franchise mark for nearly every offensive category.
But the events of the next month could determine how long Gaborik will remain in Wild colors.
The Wild is trying desperately to sign the right wing to a contract extension before the Oct. 11 opener, but Gaborik was noncommittal Wednesday when asked whether he’s willing to forgo unrestricted free agency next summer to sign long-term in Minnesota.
“I like it here, I am willing to stay here, but I also know what my options are if we won’t agree on the terms,” Gaborik said during his first North American interview since the end of last season’s playoffs.
“I have one year left on my contract. That’s all I’m thinking about. I’m going to leave everything out there, work hard and enjoy it. And I’m going to try the best I can to help the team win this year like I’ve done always.”
Told that sounds like he has decided to play out the final year of his contract and leave as a free agent, Gaborik said, “I’m not saying I’m leaving. I’m not saying I’m staying. I’m saying I have one year left on my contract. I’m leaving it up to the Wild and my agent to discuss it. But I want to be left out of it.
“I like it here. Of course, it’s been great times and experiences here. But I still have one more year on my contract. I want to be respected that I still have one year left, and I want to just focus on this year and just try to play the best I can. That’s how it is. I don’t want to think about my contract right now, and I don’t want to be put in a position where I have to talk about it.”
But asked again if he’s at least willing to sign long-term, Gaborik said, “I’m not saying either or. We’ll play it by ear. The Wild and my agent are talking right now. I just want to play hockey and not worry about it.”
Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn said the Wild is in the process of negotiating, “so we’re having back and forth, which is good. I think Marian is rightly reluctant to try to characterize the process, one for his own position and two because he doesn’t want it to be accidentally mischaracterized.”
With training camp set to open Sept. 20 in Grand Forks, N.D., Gaborik, 26, who will make $7.5 million this season after coming off a career-best 42 goals and 83 points last season, is in the driver’s seat.
If he hits the open market next summer, Gaborik, at his age and talent level, could become one of the highest-sought free agents in history.
The Wild is offering Gaborik the richest, longest contract in franchise history, so Lynn said negotiations are “complicated” because the sides are trying to agree on salary, term and what the future market is for star players.
No player averages more than Alex Ovechkin’s $9.538 million cap hit. The max for an individual player is $11.26 million, a number GM Doug Risebrough has said he’s not willing to approach. Gaborik declined to identify how much money or how long a contract he’s seeking.
“I’m willing to stay, but it depends on what kind of deal they’re going to propose,” Gaborik said. “I had a good discussion with Doug and Tom (last month in Slovakia). They explained how they want to go forward. Of course, I want to win. If it’s here, I would love that, but who knows what’s going to happen.”
If there’s an impasse, Gaborik knows the Wild may be forced to trade him to avoid a season-long distraction and to ensure it receives assets in return for a talent like Gaborik.
“I’m not thinking that far right now. I can’t control that,” Gaborik said. “I’m just here to play hockey.”
