There’s not much to report, but I’ll throw this up on the blog.

According to Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn, he doesn’t plan to make an initial offer to Gaborik until there’s a resolution with Bouchard. His arbitration hearing is scheduled for Monday.

That doesn’t mean the team hasn’t focused on what it plans to offer Gaborik. It means the Wild’s decided to deal with Bouchard’s situation before it focuses on Gaborik. Lynn won’t comment, but you can bet it’ll be a long-term deal (four to seven years, I’m betting) in the $8.5 million neighborhood.

As for Bouchard, the two sides aren’t close on a long-term deal. While I still believe the two sides will work out a one-year deal prior to arbitration, this one definitely has the chance of actually getting to the arbitration hearing. 

Lynn flew to Toronto tonight to get situated, and right now, I’m getting the feeling there’s a large gap between what the Wild is seeking from the arbitrator and what Bouchard’s camp is seeking. Usually, both sides have a good idea what number an arbitrator will decide upon, so they can avoid arbitration and come to an agreement (like last year when the Wild and Bouchard agreed on a one-year, $2.6 million deal before arb or like last week when Stephane Veilleux and the Wild agreed to a one-year, $862,500 contract, including a 125K signing bonus).

In this case, the gap appears to be large enough that the Wild and Bouchard may not come to a compromise. So, there’s a shot it’ll get there.

But remember, in arbitration, the two sides can still come to an agreement right up to the time a decision is rendered by the arbitrator, which typically comes within 72 hours of the close of the hearing.

That’s it from Russo’s abode. Nighty night folks.

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - The Wild today announced its 2008-09 preseason schedule will consist of seven games, including four road contests and three home games at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild will play a home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets and play at the Montreal Canadiens.

Minnesota opens its preseason schedule at Xcel Energy Center against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The club then travels to Chicago for a game against the Blackhawks on Sept. 26 and a game at Buffalo on Sept. 28 before returning to Xcel Energy Center for back-to-back home games against Chicago on Sept. 30 and the Sabres on Oct. 1. Minnesota completes its preseason schedule with back-to-back road games at Columbus on Oct. 3 and at Montreal on Oct. 4. The Wild went 5-2-0 in preseason action last season and owns a 28-17-6 all-time mark in preseason matches.

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Also, exhibition schedule is still to come. If you play reporter, however, you know at least five games – home and home with Columbus and Chicago, and a game at Montreal — because those teams have released their preseason schedules. 

MINNESOTA WILD TO OPEN 2008 TRAINING CAMP PRESENTED BY

WELLS FARGO AT RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA IN GRAND FORKS, N.D.

WILD TO START TRAINING CAMP OUTSIDE TWIN CITIES FOR FIRST TIME IN TEAM HISTORY

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Wild President and General Manager Doug Risebrough today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club will open its 2008 training camp presented by Wells Fargo at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. on Saturday, Sept. 20.

“The Wild has had a great relationship with the hockey fans of the greater Grand Forks area for many years and has enjoyed great success in NHL preseason games there,” said Tom Lynn, Assistant General Manager/Hockey Operations. “Ralph Engelstad Arena is one of the finest hockey facilities in the world, and outside of our home in the Twin Cities, we could not imagine a better venue for starting our training camp in 2008.”

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Veilleux can become an unrestricted free agent next summer if not re-signed by the Wild prior to July 1.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard is the only restricted free agent left.

My best guess is this is exactly what will happen with Bouchard — the two sides won’t be able to work out a long-term deal, so they’ll sign him to a one-year deal rather than waste time and go to arbitration. That’s usually what happens.

I think you can read the below blog post and know exactly why Veilleux wasn’t taken.

NHL 2008-2009 SCHEDULE (All Times Local to Home Club)

SCHEDULE FOR Minnesota Wild

DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME (CDT)
OCTOBER * REGULAR SEASON
SAT. 11 BOSTON 7:30 P.M.
Tue. 14 @ Atlanta 6:00 p.m.
Thu. 16 @ Florida 6:30 p.m.
Sat. 18 @ Tampa Bay 6:30 p.m.
THU. 23 BUFFALO 7:00 P.M.
SAT. 25 COLUMBUS 7:00 P.M.
MON. 27 CHICAGO 7:00 P.M.
Wed. 29 @ Dallas 7:30 p.m.
THU. 30 MONTREAL 7:00 P.M.

NOVEMBER
Sat. 1 @ Phoenix 9:00 p.m.
Tue. 4 @ San Jose 9:30 p.m.
Thu. 6 @ Colorado 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 8 @ Vancouver 9:00 p.m.
THU. 13 PHOENIX 7:00 P.M.
SAT. 15 COLUMBUS 7:00 P.M.
Tue. 18 @ Pittsburgh 6:00 p.m.
THU. 20 VANCOUVER 7:00 P.M.
SAT. 22 ST. LOUIS 7:00 P.M.
MON. 24 WASHINGTON 7:00 P.M.
WED. 26 DALLAS 7:00 P.M.
FRI. 28 TAMPA BAY 1:00 P.M.
Sat. 29 @ Nashville 7:00 p.m.

DECEMBER
MON. 1 COLORADO 7:00 P.M.
WED. 3 ST. LOUIS 7:00 P.M.
FRI. 5 VANCOUVER 7:00 P.M.
Sat. 6 @ Nashville 7:00 p.m.
Thu. 11 @ Phoenix 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 13 @ Los Angeles 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 14 @ Anaheim 7:00 p.m.
WED. 17 CALGARY 7:00 P.M.
FRI. 19 N.Y. ISLANDERS 7:00 P.M.
Sat. 20 @ St. Louis 7:30 p.m.
TUE. 23 CAROLINA 7:00 P.M.
SUN. 28 CHICAGO 5:00 P.M.
Mon. 29 @ Calgary 8:00 p.m.
WED. 31 SAN JOSE 5:00 P.M.

JANUARY
SAT. 3 DETROIT 7:00 P.M.
Sun. 4 @ Colorado 7:00 p.m.
Tue. 6 @ Boston 6:00 p.m.
Thu. 8 @ Philadelphia 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 10 @ Columbus 6:00 p.m.
TUE. 13 PHOENIX 7:00 P.M.
THU. 15 EDMONTON 7:00 P.M.
SAT. 17 ANAHEIM 8:00 P.M.
Mon. 19 @ Chicago 7:00 p.m.
TUE. 20 LOS ANGELES 7:00 P.M.
Sun. 25 ALL-STAR GAME (Montreal) TBA

DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME (CDT)
JANUARY - CONTINUED
TUE. 27 TORONTO 7:00 P.M.
Fri. 30 @ Edmonton 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 31 @ Vancouver 9:00 p.m.

FEBRUARY
WED. 4 ANAHEIM 7:00 P.M.
FRI. 6 NASHVILLE 7:00 P.M.
SUN. 8 EDMONTON 2:00 P.M.
WED. 11 COLORADO 7:00 P.M.
Thu. 12 @ Detroit 6:30 p.m.
SAT. 14 OTTAWA 7:00 P.M.
THU. 19 CALGARY 7:00 P.M.
SAT. 21 DETROIT 7:00 P.M.
Sun. 22 @ Chicago 6:00 p.m.
TUE. 24 LOS ANGELES 7:00 P.M.
Fri. 27 @ Calgary 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 28 @ Edmonton 9:00 p.m.

MARCH
Tue. 3 @ Vancouver 9:00 p.m.
Thu. 5 @ San Jose 9:30 p.m.
Sat. 7 @ Los Angeles 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 8 @ Anaheim 7:00 p.m.
TUE. 10 SAN JOSE 7:00 P.M.
Thu. 12 @ Colorado 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 14 @ Dallas 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 15 @ St. Louis 5:00 p.m.
TUE. 17 COLORADO 7:00 P.M.
Fri. 20 @ New Jersey 6:00 p.m.
SUN. 22 EDMONTON 2:00 P.M.
Tue. 24 @ N.Y. Rangers 6:00 p.m.
Wed. 25 @ N.Y. Islanders 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 28 @ Calgary 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 29 @ Edmonton 7:00 p.m.
TUE. 31 VANCOUVER 7:00 P.M.

APRIL
FRI. 3 CALGARY 7:00 P.M.
Sun. 5 @ Detroit 4:00 p.m.
TUE. 7 DALLAS 7:00 P.M.
FRI. 10 NASHVILLE 7:00 P.M.
Sat. 11 @ Columbus 6:00 p.m.

Good morning. Just an fyi, I’ll throw up another blog post when I find out after 11 a.m. whether Stephane Veilleux cleared waivers or was claimed. Check back.

Veilleux asked me yesterday whether I thought he’d be claimed. I told him if this was the middle of the season, there’s no doubt in my mind he’d be snatched up. However, I told him I have my doubts now because of his contract situation.

After talking to a number of people the last 24 hours, I really have my doubts now.

And quite frankly, this is why you need an agent.

Remember, Veilleux is a restricted free agent. He’s one year from unrestricted free agency. Any team that claims Veilleux would want to make sure it can sign him long-term.

Well, say you were interested in Veilleux during this 24-hour waiver period, who do you call to make sure you can sign Veilleux long-term? He has no agent! And he said no team called him directly.

And here’s the added component. Veilleux’s arbitration hearing is Monday. Each side must exchange their arbitration briefs 48 hours prior, or in this case, Saturday morning at 9.

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