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Marian Gaborik had procedure, won't be bought out

CALGARY, AB - MARCH 19: X #xx of the Calgary Flames skates against X #xx of the Los Angeles Kings during an NHL game on March 19, 2017 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)
Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Kings forward Marian Gaborik will not be bought out, general manager Rob Blake told reporters Monday.

At a news conference introducing John Stevens as the King’s head coach, Blake was asked about Gaborik and the players’ future with the team. Blake said Gaborik was not 100 percent last season and recently had a non-specified procedure. Blake also said Gaborik won’t be ready for the start of training camp.

Players recovering from injuries that happened during the regular season cannot be bought out. Before the start of the year, Gaborik injured his foot at the World Cup of Hockey and missed 21 games.

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“I don’t think he was completely healthy this year. Let’s say it’ll be a clean slate for Marian to come in and prove himself,” Blake said. “He’s one of the players we’ll talk about tomorrow that did have a procedure and he’s out an extended period of time. He’s not going to be healthy until into training camp, past that.”

The 35-year-old Gaborik is entering the fourth season of a seven-year, $34.125 million contract, which equates to a $4.875 million salary cap hit per-year. Last season he scored 10 goals and notched 21 points in 56 games played. The year before he had 12 goals and 22 points in 54 games.

Gaborik’s best season since signing the deal came in 2014-15 when he had 27 goals in 69 games. Los Angeles traded for him before the team’s 2014 Stanley Cup run and he had 14 goals in 26 postseason games that year.

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Because of his age and declining production there were questions on whether the Kings should cut ties with Gaborik to give Los Angeles some salary cap room. Gaborik was also a healthy scratch at points last season.

LA Kings Insider pointed out that with a buyout, Gaborik’s salary cap hit would have lessened to $1.125 million 2017-18, $1.625 million in 2018-19, $3.025 million in 2019-20, $3.125 million in 2020-21, and $1.325 million from 2021-22 through 2024-25

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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