Author: David Shama

Wild assistant general manager Tommy Thompson told Sports Headliners earlier this month that the franchise doesn’t “intend” to lose forward Marian Gaborik who becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season.  Expectations are that the Wild will try to sign Gaborik to a long term contract this year.

That will be good news for a franchise that seems stalled out in contract negotiations with another valuable player, soon to be (July 1) unrestricted free agent forward Brian Rolston.  If Rolston, 35, who was second  on the team in goals (31 versus Gaborik at 42) doesn’t come back, that’s bad news.  Losing Gaborik, 26, who is coming off his best season in goals, assists and points, would be double bad news, the kind of headline that leads the local 10 p.m. newscasts.

“Well, we don’t intend to lose him,” Thompson said.  “Having said that, any hockey player, you have to be prepared to lose him.  Not necessarily through free agency.  It’s a dangerous game.  Guys can tear up their knee. …Hurt their back and they can’t play any more.  So you have to be able to survive the loss of anybody. …We don’t intend to have that happen with him.”

No one has to explain Gaborik’s importance to Thompson.  “I think Marian has been a very valuable person to us,” he said. “He’s scored big goals.  He’s made big plays.  He’s opened up the entire ice which makes it easier for other people to play, and he’s excited the fans. So he’s been a very valuable guy for us.”

Thompson said there’s as much or more parity in the NHL now than ever.  That means retaining a rare talent like Gaborik is vital to the Wild’s competitiveness in future seasons.

No team has repeated as Stanley Cup champions since Detroit, 1997 and 1998.  “I think it will be difficult to do that,” Thompson said.  “It’s just such a grind at 82 (regular) season games.  And to be honest…there’s more teams that do a real good job in the coaching, and the managing, and the scouting then there used to be.  It’s harder (to repeat).  Sure it is.”

From the Saturday Memphis Commercial Appeal Web site talking about the eight player trade between the Wolves and Memphis: “The Grizzlies obtained (O.J.) Mayo and riffraff from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love, Mike Miller and riffraff.”

Former Timberwolves guard Marko Jaric, traded last week to Memphis, is now engaged to Victoria’s Secret supermodel Adriana Lima, according to various media reports.

The Big Ten Conference had only three players chosen during the two rounds of last week’s NBA draft, Eric Gordon and D.J. White from Indiana, and Kosta Koufos of Ohio State.  The Pac 10 Conference had seven players chosen in the first round, five in the second.  Twelve of the 60 players drafted were from the Pac 10. 

The Twins’ Kevin Slowey made his sixth career Interleague start and improved his record to 4-1, with a 2.35 ERA after he pitched a nine inning, three hit shutout of Milwaukee yesterday.  Slowey’s season record is 5-6.

Deolis Guerra, the 18-year-old pitcher the Twins acquired in the Johan Santana trade, leads the Class AA Ft. Myers Miracle in wins with a 7-4 record.  His ERA is 4.84 and he has struck out 42 in 74.1 innings.  Relief pitcher Anthony Slama, 24, has a 0.43 ERA and has struck out 73 batters in 42.2 innings.

President Doug Risebrough wrote on the Wild Web site that his daughter Allison works for the Ottawa police force.

The Minnesota Thunder lost two games against the Islanders over the weekend in Puerto Rico.  Next up is a game in Atlanta on Thursday night.  The Thunder, 4-6-4, then plays 10 of its last 15 games at home.

The Thunder are in sixth place in the USL.  “After these road trips we have a chance to make a move in the standings,” Thunder general manager Djorn Buchholz told Sports Headliners last week.

He thinks the Thunder can be one of seven teams in the 11-team USL to make the playoffs. That would be a franchise first since 2004.

The Thunder is averaging less than a goal a game.  “We have to get better in the offensive third of the field,” Buchholz said.

St. Thomas junior Katie Theisen and Bethel senior Nikki Umhoefer have been named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-America Second Team for women’s cross country and track and field, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

After the Timberwolves made an eight player deal around midnight they made headway in balancing their roster and determining a starting lineup.  They also took a risk that O.J. Mayo won’t become a superstar playing for Memphis and add to the Wolves’ tradition of trading away on draft day players they should have retained (see Brandon Roy and Ray Allen).

A lot of fans are describing the Wolves’ move as midnight madness.  No one complains about dumping veterans Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner as part of the Memphis deal.  But Mayo, a consensus pick as the third best player available in last night’s NBA draft, is a potential all-star, if not a superstar.  The 6-4 guard has a variety of offensive skills and is a respected defensive player.

Almost any trade is a gamble, though, and this one could help the Wolves.  With Mayo, the Wolves had five guards, and only one, Sebastian Telfair, is a point guard.  Former first round picks Randy Foye and Rashad McCants, along with Jaric, all play the same position, shooting guard.  The same spot that Mayo is best suited for.

The Memphis trade is an apparent show of faith that Telfair, 23, will be the team’s point guard.  Last season, his first with the Wolves, he showed potential; averaging 9.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. With Telfair at point guard, Foye can play his more natural position of shooting guard and (cross your fingers) stay away from injuries and live up to his potential.

The Memphis trade brought two likely starters in small forward Mike Miller and power forward Kevin Love, the No. 5 pick in the draft.  Miller’s outside shooting is exceptional and Love’s passing deserves the same description.  Veteran forward Brian Cardinal and center Jason Collins don’t have starter type skills but they add size to a roster that has been too guard heavy.

All of this fits around the team’s only star, center Al Jefferson, who averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds last season.  He will enjoy playing with teammates who make him the center of attention with their passing and unselfish play.

This rebuilt Wolves roster looks like one better balanced between guards, forwards and centers, even if it’s far from ideal (needs remain at point guard and power players at forward and center).  The starting lineup will provide effort and unity.  That will bring satisfaction to Wolves basketball boss Kevin McHale, owner Glen Taylor, and perhaps a skeptical fan base that will be watching the home town team, and also a 20-year-old rookie in Memphis.