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Marian Gaborik’s future is in doubt.

The veteran Ottawa Senators winger certainly won’t be at the Canadian Tire Centre for the start of training camp Thursday when players report for medicals and there are no guarantees he’s going to play at all this season.

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Acquired from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the trade that sent veteran blue-liner Dion Phaneuf to the West Coast last February, Gaborik suited up for only 16 games with the Senators before surgery on a herniated disc, and he hasn’t been given clearance to return yet.

“Gaborik has not been fully cleared health-wise,” Dorion told this newspaper during a meeting Wednesday. “He’s still in L.A. seeing a back specialist. Once he gets here, we’ll have more information. Right now, I can’t tell you more than that.”

But the fact Gaborik won’t be here for the start of camp and isn’t fully recovered after the procedure in April isn’t a good sign. He can be placed on the long-term injury reserve list at the start of the season and approximately 80 per cent of his $4.875 million salary this year will be covered by insurance.

He has three years left on his deal, and this could be end of the line for Gaborik, who has scored 407 goals during his 1,035 NHL games.

Dorion said he couldn’t answer whether Gaborik would even play this season “until we see him,” and there’s not even a timetable on when that might be.

bgarrioch@postmedia.com

Twitter: @sungarrioch