ST. PAUL - Marian Gaborik returned to practice with the Minnesota Wild on Monday, stepping toward a return from a nagging groin injury that has kept him out for 32 of the team's 39 games.
Hurt Oct. 20 against Anaheim, Gaborik briefly resumed practicing with his teammates in late November, but problems persisted and he went back to rehabilitation and skating on his own.
Signed to a three-year, $19 million contract this summer, Gaborik's speed and scoring ability have been clearly missed. After starting out with six straight wins, Minnesota is just 14-16-2 since the 24-year-old right wing first got hurt.
Also Monday, forward and leading scorer Brian Rolston was named captain for January. It's his third monthly honor out of a possible four this season.
