Zach Parise - Will he stay or will he go?

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Originally Posted by Vinnie

I wonder how many people will still be bragging about Kovy's cap hit if/when the insane cash he's getting paid the next 6 years keeps us from retaining Parise. The two of them make $12M this year, the next 5 years Kovalchuk makes over $11M alone. But I'm just a hater.

I do think we have a good chance of keeping him if we somehow get a new owner with deep pockets in the next few months.

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This is what I don't understand. What is the point of the crazy contract if you don't plan to be a cap team all 15 years of the deal? Because if you budget actual dollars made then just do a normal contract because you aren't taking advantage of a cap hit. Two years ago they had to know the financial aspects were coming down the road (apparently some of it already occurring).

After tomorrow's game is when I think Zach will start to negotiate. 6 days off should be plenty of time to hammer out a new contract.

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Originally Posted by onefatsurfer

After tomorrow's game is when I think Zach will start to negotiate. 6 days off should be plenty of time to hammer out a new contract.

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Players don't generally start negotiations. It's a sign of weakness. They wait for an offer and then counter it with something ridiculous before finally settling for something that just makes them overpaid.

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Originally Posted by Big#D

Players don't generally start negotiations. It's a sign of weakness. They wait for an offer and then counter it with something ridiculous before finally settling for something that just makes them overpaid.

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I meant more along the lines of "now that there's a break in the schedule, Lou will present his offer to Parise"

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Originally Posted by onefatsurfer

I meant more along the lines of "now that there's a break in the schedule, Lou will present his offer to Parise"

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I'm wondering if the "agree to disagree" one year contract came about with both sides realizing that Parise wanted to see what was out there on July 1 and they aren't going to bother negotiating until the offseason. I have no basis for that feeling (other than years of not signing upcoming free agents until July), but I just get the feeling that both sides have agreed to not bother until needed.

as I said on HF:

its clear to me that Zach really does want to stay. I also don't think that the Devils would have offered him the C without having every intention of keeping him. its not like they didn't know about the financial issues this past July

that being said, if we don't sort out the ownership issues I have a hard time believing we'll be able to come up with the cash to sign him, even if he wants to stay at a reasonable price

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Originally Posted by Big#D

I'm wondering if the "agree to disagree" one year contract came about with both sides realizing that Parise wanted to see what was out there on July 1 and they aren't going to bother negotiating until the offseason. I have no basis for that feeling (other than years of not signing upcoming free agents until July), but I just get the feeling that both sides have agreed to not bother until needed.

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I think the one year contract was because of the team's financial situation. Lou couldn't commit to the contract for a while until more was known about it, so they agreed on a one year deal. I personally believe they had agreed to something, but it just couldn't go through yet because of the money commitment. It could be why Parise hates talking about the contract because he has to lie :laugh:

He will do what I tell him to do.

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Originally Posted by Devilsfanatic

He will do what I tell him to do.

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Touche! :laugh:

I am starting to wonder what Parise is really worth at this point as far as a contract goes. I know he is coming back from a major knee injury but he is just a very good player at this point, he hasn't returned to his former self. His timing for that knee injury was as bad for him as it was for Lou.

Just babbling out loud now.

I think Parise came back and found a guy who is on his line that plays a similar game to what he played but is younger and another guy who plays best when someone feeds him for a fast break or for the big shot, so he adapted his game and has become more of a puck distributor than a garbage goal scorer.