The Minnesota Wild have landed prized free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Sources told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun that both deals are worth $98 million over 13 years.
“This is a great day in the history of the Minnesota Wild,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said. “We are extremely excited to add the collective skill, experience and character of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to an already promising roster. We view this as a rare opportunity for us to transform our franchise by adding two marquee players, who are both in the prime of their careers.”
For Parise, the move will be a homecoming after the Minneapolis native spent his first seven seasons with the New Jersey Devils. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Detroit were among the teams pursuing Parise.
Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said on a conference call that the club’s offer to keep Parise “was competitive.” Parise said via text that if he had not decided to play in Minnesota that he would’ve stayed in New Jersey, according to LeBrun.
Suter joins the Wild after playing his first seven seasons with the Nashville Predators. The defenseman had received a contract offer of $90 million over 13 years from the Red Wings, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Predators GM David Polie made a 13-year offer for $90 million to keep Suter in Nashville, sources told ESPN.com. Polie said on a conference call he never got the chance to match the Wild’s offer which disappointed him.
Parise, who will turn 28 years old this summer, has registered 194 goals and 216 assists in 502 career games. He had 31 goals and 38 assists this past season, helping the Devils reach the Stanley Cup finals.
Suter, 27, has collected 38 goals and 200 assists in 542 career games. He had seven goals and 39 assists in 2011-12 en route to garnering All-Star honors.
Suter and Parise both were members of the 2003 draft class. Suter was taken seventh overall by the Predators while Parise went 17th to the Devils.
–ESPN
