Parise, Suter to Minn.; Flyers go to Plan B
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Parise, Suter to Minn.; Flyers go to Plan B
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers made huge offers, but in the end, they fell on deaf ears.
Defenseman Ryan Suter and left winger Zach Parise, the prizes in this year's free-agent pool, signed with the Minnesota Wild, a team that hasn't made the playoffs during the last four seasons.
Parise, a Minnesota native,and Suter each received 13-year deals for $98 million. That's an annual cap hit of $7.54 million, which is seventh in the NHL.
The Flyers are believed to have offered each player a 12-year contract in the $100 million neighborhood.
At 11 a.m., the Flyers had not heard from the Suter or Parise camps on Wednesday _ and that seemed like a negative sign.
On Twitter, some Flyers fans said it would be fitting for the duo to make the announcement that they were coming to America's birthplace _ Philadelphia _ on the Fourth of July.
Ah, dream on.
Suter and Parise are close friends and they conferred with each other during the free-agency period, fueling speculation they would be a package deal.
The speculation turned into reality.
They will try to help the Wild win their first playoff series since 2003.
The Flyers will turn their attention to trying to sign UFA defenseman Matt Carle. If he is commanding $5.5 million per year, the Flyers should pass.
Carle is talented and would help the Flyers, but in the long run, a multi-year deal with that kind of financial commitment might hamstring the club in the future.
Free-agent winger Shane Doan interests the Flyers, but he will stay in Phoenix if the franchise doesn't move. He said he will decide by July 9; by that time it should be known if the Coyotes are remaining in Phoenix.
The Flyers will try to deal for either Anaheim's Bobby Ryan ($5.1 million cap hit for next three years) or Columbus' Rick Nash ($7.8 million cap hit for next six years), a pair of high-scoring forwards who would give them some much-needed size on the wings.
(more coming)
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
- They won't being Parent back. Homer will never forget how the Hawks knocked the stick out of his hand, then he just stood there and watched them score.
More win-win...Pittsburgh lost Sullivan and Asham as well as not getting Parise and Suter. Im as happy they are weakening as anything else.— Neebo- I'm so happy that they didn't pay Jagr what the Stars did. Wow, did they ever overpay!— Penfold18
- Wait a minute! All the experts had Parise going to the Pens to team up with sissy Cindy! What happened to that? It couldn't be that the 'experts' don't really know their behinds from a hole in the ground, could it?! With that kind of money we didn't need them. What hurts is losing Jagr!— erniebanks14
- There are still some pretty good available free agents out there. They are just being overshadowed by those two clowns.
— Neebo - As usual Sam is clueless. Sure let's just let Carle walk and have a gaping hole on our back line. Brilliant analysis as always you buffoon. Go have another hot dog and leave the real reporting to your colleague please. I'm tired of reading asinine columns & blog entries from you.— thomaspfoolery
- I would like to have seen Parise here, but I think Suter is overrated and likely to under-perform this contract. If they weren't coming here, my next choices would have been Russia and Minnesota, which has made the playoffs 3 times in 11 years, and not at all in the last 4 years. Sign Carle (I disagree that $5.5 mil is too large a hit in this market), try to get Ryan for B. Schenn (who is not likely to ever be as good as Ryan is right now) plus whatever picks/prospects go either way, save some space for the deadline and look to sign Weber next summer. Let's face it: if Bryz plays well we're a contender. If he doesn't, we're not. You have to hope/assume that he plays well, or you might as well just start following box lacrosse or something.— 1980
- Focus on getting the hometown guy Bobby Ryan. Trade Voracek, Gus and a 2nd (1st if need be), that should be enough to get a deal done. Give Carle 3 years for $5 mil per and wait for Weber next year. Also, extend Giroux now before he becomes a superstar and super-expensive.— the sichee-ation
- Whaaa? You're a little late - Giroux has been a superstar for 2 years now, and why would you extend a guy who is locked up for the next 2 seasons, after which he becomes a RESTRICTED free agent -- especially when there's a good chance of a lockout this coming season?
Do you seriously think Anaheim would take a 2nd-line winger, an up-and-down rookie D-man and a draft pick for a perennial 30-goal-scoring elite winger? If so, can you come up with a reason why Homer didn't drive Voracek and Gus to the airport about 6 months ago?
I have to say, this might very well be the single dumbest post I've ever read here.— 1980 - Bobby Ryan, it just makes sense!!!— DJ
- DO NOT GO OVER NASH!!!— BuckeyeFlyersFan
- oops, I meant after. I have watched his lazy routine for the 8 years I have lived in Columbus. Only time he ever played 100% was in the Olympics for team Canada. — BuckeyeFlyersFan
- DO NOT GO OVER NASH!!!— BuckeyeFlyersFan
