Marian Gaborik was excused from the Wild's brief practice on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center. He was in civilian clothes in the home locker room when a group of reporters and minicam operators were able to surround him.

Gaborik was 21 when he led the Wild to the third round of the playoffs in 2003. He was much less comfortable in interview situations than he is today.

He was guarded in his comments then because it was only his third year in this country and his English remained halting.

When he's guarded with his comments now, it's because that is the way he has chosen to play it.

The Wild has sold out every game in its seven seasons in St. Paul. Gaborik was the team's first draft choice -- No. 3 overall in June 2000 -- and has been in the lineup since the get-go.

You would think his star status with a team of such popularity would make Gaborik more of a celebrity than has been the case. Yet, Adrian Peterson had a couple of 200-yard rushing games for a mediocre NFL team and rates as more of an icon with the Minnesota sporting public than Gaborik with his years of excellence.

Lou Nanne, the hockey man who did everything with the North Stars and has followed the Wild intently, said: "I would rate Gaborik and Mike Modano as the two top NHL offensive players we've had in Minnesota. Bobby Smith and Neal Broten are up there, too, but they didn't have the goal-scoring ability of Gaborik.

"And Goldy [Bill Goldsworthy] had the goal-scoring, but not the rest of it -- not the speed, not the passing ability, not even the shot that you see with Gaborik. He has it all."

The most vital thing Colorado did to win Wednesday's first game of this series with the Wild was to limit Gaborik to one shot.

"Foote and Sauer were always out there, and they stayed in good position," Gaborik said. "We have to battle through it. We have to get in position to make plays ... give-and-gos behind the net. Those work."

Adam Foote and Kurt Sauer are the defensive pair that was on the ice as much possible when Gaborik and Pavol Demitra were on a shift. As usual, those two were together Wednesday, and only the bench boss, Jacques Lemaire, could guess the identity of their linemate.

James Sheppard was the center for Gaborik and Demitra on the first shift. After that, it was chaos. Demitra played center, but mostly on the left side. Every center in the lineup had some time between the two Slovakians.

Five years ago, as Gaborik suddenly was turning Wes Walz into a goal scorer in the series victory over Vancouver, Walz said: "We've talked to Marian any number of times, saying, 'If you want to get to the next level, use the other players around you.'

"I'm not saying I'm the end-all, be-all to playing with Marian. There will be guys who come along to play with him in Minnesota who will have great careers playing with Marian."

When he said that, Walz probably figured that Lemaire -- or another Wild coach -- would have settled on a center for Gaborik by the time the right winger reached the spring of 2008.

No such luck.

Mikko Koivu would be perfect, but Lemaire covets him too much as a shutdown defensive center to give him the full-time duty of trying to create offensive magic with Gaborik.

Maybe Sheppard, the not-yet-20-year-old rookie, will have Lemaire's confidence to play regularly as Gaborik's center next season. And if Demitra isn't back, Benoit Pouliot, 22 in September, could take over on the left side and Walz's prediction could come true:

Two former first-round draft choices, Sheppard and Pouliot, have great careers playing with Marian.

That's for next fall, of course. The issue at hand is tonight's second game in St. Paul against the Avalanche.

Must-win, right?

Gaborik gave a noncommital look and said: "It's the playoffs. You want to win those four games."

Interpretation: Game 2 is too early for must-win declarations from a cautious fellow such as Gaborik, because what does he say then if his team happens to lose?

Patrick Reusse can be heard weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP at 6:45 and 7:45 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. • preusse@startribune.com