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As Marian Gaborik plays musical chairs with agents Allan Walsh and David Schatia, Pascal Dupuis said Tuesday he would not follow the lead of his fellow holdout.
"I'm happy with Allan right now. He's doing a good job," said Dupuis.
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Walsh represents Dupuis in Dupuis' ongoing contract dispute with the Wild. He had been Gaborik's primary agent until Monday, when Gaborik told a news service in his native Slovakia that he wanted Schatia, Walsh's partner, to deal with the team because he was unhappy about the state of negotiations. NFL Tickets
Neither Walsh nor Schatia returned phone calls Tuesday.
General manager Doug Risebrough, who publicly outlined the team's three-year,
$9.45 million offer to Gaborik over the weekend, declined to comment about the
shift in strategy. Walsh's last counterproposal was three years at an average
of $6.5 million per season.
"Maybe they'll talk a little more after what Gabby said," Dupuis said
from his home in suburban Montreal. NFL Tickets
Last week it seemed the Wild and Dupuis were closing in on a deal. Negotiations
intensified to the point where both sides were separated by $375,000 on a two-year
deal. The Wild offered $550,000 and $800,000 per season, while Walsh countered
at $750,000 and $975,000.
"We're not that far apart, but I don't know what's going to happen,"
said Dupuis, a former tryout who earned $350,000 last year after scoring 20
goals in his second NHL season.
Dupuis has been practicing with Concordia College in Montreal — "I'm
the best college practice player in Quebec right now" — but is considering
several offers to play this season in Europe, although he has not set a deadline.
"I want to play in Minnesota. We'll see if I can get deal. But I've got
to play somewhere. It's something I have to think about if we can't," Dupuis
said. "I'm just trying to get into the best shape I can be to get right
back into the lineup."
That would not be immediate in either Gaborik or Dupuis' case if they sign.
Gaborik, who has been in Slovakia since the summer, would have to clear immigration,
which probably would take at least three days. What's more, he and Dupuis would
have to pass a physical and practice with the team for at least two weeks, according
to assistant general manager Tom Lynn. NFL Tickets
"It's in the best interests of the team and the player," Lynn said.
"If we sign a player to a lot of money, we want to give him a chance to
have success. We don't want him to come in and get off to a slow start. We've
got to get them into the right body and mind."
In the meantime, Dupuis said he would continue to watch the Wild play on television.
He said he has been impressed by rookie Brent Burns and Pierre-Marc Bouchard,
with whom he keeps in contact. With his holdout into its second month, Dupuis
still refers to the Wild in the third person.
"I'm cheering for the guys. Hopefully, we'll get some wins. I want these
guys to win every game I'm not there because these points are important if we
want to make the playoffs."
Briefly: Richard Park skated in a full practice Tuesday for the first time since
tearing a ligament in his right knee two weeks ago. Coach Jacques Lemaire said
the winger is on schedule to return next week, although he will have to wear
a brace.
• Jason Marshall cleared waivers Tuesday and was reassigned to Houston
of the American Hockey League, where he likely will remain unless the Wild swing
a trade for him.
"I don't know what's going to happen," Marshall said on the way to
the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Tuesday. "I'm just going
to go down there, work hard and have some fun like I did up here."
The Wild will continue paying Marshall his $1 million salary while he plays
for the Aeros.