A healthy Marian Gaborik might move to the front of the sports celebrity line in this town within another year or two.  The Wild’s star forward missed 34 games last season with a groin injury but hockey sources remain enthusiastic about Gaborik and even rave about him.

Former Minnesota North Stars player and  president Lou Nanne was asked if Gaborik can be included in a group of the NHL’s top half dozen forwards. “Oh, he is already, and he’s certainly the most exciting,” Nanne said.

The man Nanne refers to as a “remarkable talent,” draws special praise from Tom Reid, too.  Reid, a former teammate of Nanne with the North Stars and now the Wild color commentator on radio, remembers many of hockey’s most exciting players like Bobby Hull, Jean Beliveau, Stan Mikita and Bill Goldsworthy but none of them literally gave him a rise like Gaborik.  “He’s so explosive,” Reid said.  “He’s the only player in the league that actually takes me right out of my seat (in anticipation).”

That kind of talk gets an amen from Wild general manager Doug Risebrough who has spent more than 30 years in the NHL as a player, coach and executive.  “He’s probably the fastest player I’ve ever seen play,” Risebrough said.  “Certainly the fastest player I’ve ever been associated with. The most explosive.”

At 25 Gaborik doesn’t figure to hit his peak for a few more years.  In his six seasons with the Wild he’s shown ability to score and pass (in two of the seasons he had more goals than assists).  He is the franchise leader in career points with 331 in 408 games.  Despite missing all those games last season, he led the team with seven game winning goals.  The Wild were 18-2-2 in games that he scored a goal and 33-9-6 in games he played.  With 30 goals and 27 assists in 48 games, Gaborik was third on the team in scoring and reached the 30 goal level for the fourth time in five seasons.

Risebrough anticipates an even better Gaborik in the future.  “I think he’s still trying to figure it out offensively,” Risebrough said.  “He’s got a great shot but sometimes he wants to score the pretty goal at the right time.  He’s a great passer.  He can make great plays so he’s a pretty solid package offensively but he hasn’t fully gravitated to one of those things right now.  That’s just maturing. …”

Gaborik has been bothered by groin injuries in past seasons but Nanne thinks Gaborik will avoid that problem in 2007-2008. “I think he’s taken precautions to make certain that he develops the leg muscles the way they possibly should be developed,” Nanne said.  “He’s looked after himself and I think he’s going to be able to weather a season of playing without losing time for groin injuries.”

Risebrough talked about how injuries can hold a player back, even after physical healing.  “In three years we’ve never really seen the whole thing, and even when he’s back playing after recovering from long injuries, it’s psychologically a little touchy for him,” Risebrough said.  “So hopefully this year will be one of those years where not only does he stay healthy but he doesn’t have to think about his health.”

The public is welcome at a book signing for Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne from 4 to 7 p.m. October 1 at Barnes & Noble, 801 Nicollet Mall.  Nanne and local author Bob Showers collaborated on the book that is a celebration of the Minnesota North Stars’ 40^th anniversary.  Showers, who once worked in sales for the North Stars, said writing the book has “been a dream” and that many former North Stars players are expected to attend the kickoff book signing.  Legendary North Stars broadcaster Al Shaver, who wrote the foreword, will also be at the event.  The North Stars, who moved to Dallas in 1993, came into existence as an NHL expansion franchise and played their first season in 1967.

The Vikings want a win in Kansas City on Sunday to improve their record to 2-1 before Green Bay comes to Minneapolis on September 30.  The Chiefs, 0-2, play in San Diego on September 30 for their third road game in four starts.  Viking coach Brad Childress acknowledged that Arrowhead Stadium is a difficult place to play and game day temps may be in the upper 80’s (warmer at field level).  The Chiefs have an NFL best 102-34 (.750) record at Arrowhead since 1990.

Coach Tim Brewster said that despite the Gophers’ 1-2 record, recruits remain receptive and he’s optimistic about success.

A local source said he doesn’t expect the Big Ten TV Network to finalize its agreements with the various cable companies until this winter.  Many Minnesotans and others in the Midwest can’t view Big Ten Conference football games because the network and cable companies have been unable to reach agreements.

The Gopher-Ohio State game in the Metrodome will start at 7 p.m. on September 29 and be televised on ESPN2.

Gopher coach Tubby Smith is impressing people with his basketball teaching.

Twins pitcher Johan Santana recently purchased a home in a Minneapolis suburb.

The MIAC will celebrate its 25^th anniversary of women’s athletics during the 2007-2008 academic year. Commemorative events will take place on MIAC campuses. The MIAC website (www.miac-online.org) will have information about past MIAC and NCAA national champions, a timeline of major events, as well as feature stories on individuals. The conference sponsors women’s championships in 11 different sports. The MIAC has had 11 NCAA women’s national team championships and 85 individual student-athletes who have been NCAA champions.

In a secondary that needs more experience and ability, Gopher strong safety Dom Barber is easy to identify as the best player.  The Gophers have given up 431 passing yards per game in three games and rank 118^th in the country in pass defense among major schools.  Pass defense is the team’s biggest weakness but coach Tim Brewster admires Barber and told Sports Headliners that the former Wayzata High School athlete (he lettered in hockey, baseball and football) is the best pro prospect among his seniors.

“He’s got all the attributes you look for in a safety,” Brewster said. “Very physical guy.  He’s got speed.  He can cover half the field.  He can cover a tight end.  He’s a blitzer.  I think Dom Barber is a real good pro prospect.”

Other seniors who Brewster said are “going to have an opportunity” to possibly make it in the pros are center Tony Brinkhaus, left offensive tackle Steve Shidell, fullback Justin Valentine and wide receiver Ernie Wheelwright.  Not surprisingly, all are offensive players except for Barber who is part of a defense that has yielded 36.3 points to three mediocre teams.

Asked to identify a player in addition to Barber that might have the best opportunity to make the pros, Brewster said perhaps Valentine.  “I think Justin Valentine has a chance because true fullbacks are really hard to find, and I think Justin Valentine can be considered a true fullback,” Brewster said.

Valentine had a more prominent role with the Gophers (primarily as a blocker) in his first three seasons before the team went to the spread formation that uses one running back, not two. Coming into this season Valentine had played in 36 games with the Gophers and had seven starts.  He entered the season with 183 career rushing yards on 59 carries.  So far in three games he has one rushing attempt and two pass receptions.

Barber, the younger brother of former Gopher and Dallas Cowboy running back Marion Barber III, was selected as an honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference player by the media last season.  He had three interceptions in conference games, one in non-conference games.

Barber was credited with a strong effort against Purdue’s explosive wide receiver Dorien Bryant last season (six catches, 59 yards).  Bryant, a first team all-Big Ten Conference pick by the media last year, is in town Saturday night for an 8 p.m. game against the Gophers.  Purdue is 15^th in the country in passing offense and sixth in total offense.