Parise, Suter holding Flyers hostage
Left winger Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, the prized players in this year’s free-agent market, are taking their sweet time before selecting their teams.
Parise, Suter holding Flyers hostage
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Left winger Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, the prized players in this year’s free-agent market, are taking their sweet time before selecting their teams.
As a result, numerous teams are being held hostage, including the Flyers.
“We’re just focused on the two free agents,” said one Flyers executive when asked if the team had made any headway in trade talks for Anaheim’s Bobby Ryan or Columbus’ Rick Nash.
Parise had said he expected to make a decision sometime Monday, but at about 5 p.m. he announced he needed more time to discuss the situation with his family. He may announce his choice on Tuesday.
Suter is also still mulling over his options.
The Flyers have reportedly made 12-year deals to both players for more than $80 million each.
Like the other teams in the free-agent sweepstakes, the Flyers are playing a waiting game and trying to be patient.
They "truly don't know" where they stand with the free agents, said one source close to the situation.
Parise told reporters he needed to feel more comfortable before making his choice.
"It's such a long-term, important decision, you have to make sure you look at everything," he said.
Suter’s decision is also holding up Matt Carle’s selection. Carle’s agent does not want his client to sign until Suter makes his pick. After Suter makes his choice, Carle figures to move up the ranks on some teams’ wish lists.
On Twitter, fans were getting impatient.
Tweeted mindofbrian: open heart surgery is done faster than #Parise picking a team. #thisguysisntGretzky.
Tweeted adameagle13: someone tell parise and suter to hurry up. Checking twitter every 2 mins is making me an unproductive employee #parisewatch
Parise's agent issued a statement saying the LW wants to step back and review options with his fiance and his family.
Doan Watch. If the Flyers don’t land Parise, they may make a pitch for Phoenix’s Shane Doan, a dependable 6-foot-1, 228-pound right winger who scored 22 goals last season.
Doan, who will turn 36 just before the season, will not sign until July 9, by which time it should be known if the Coyotes will stay in Phoenix. His first choice is to sign with Phoenix and spend his 17th season with the team.
Doan has scored at least 20 goals in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
The Flyers are still in the hunt for Jaromir Jagr; the 40-year-old RW is reportedly seeking $4 million per season after making $3.3 million last year.
* * *
Here is how the Flyers may look next season and the gaps they are trying to fill:
Line 1: Hartnell-Giroux-XXXXX.
Line 2: Read-Briere-Simmonds.
Line 3: Talbot-Couturier-Voracek.
Line 4: Rinaldo-B.Schenn-Wellwood
DEFENSE
Coburn-Grossman.
Timonen-Meszaros.
L. Schenn-XXXXXXXX.
GOALIES
Bryzgalov-Leighton.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Its been 37 years and counting without a Cup-not holding my breath big time free agents or not...where have you gone Bernie Parent our city turns its lonely eyes to you...— jmmdk5- I smell a sister kissin'. Parise will stay in NJ. I never thought we had a chance at Suter and Doan isn't going anywhere. Back to Carle and Jagr...for better or worse. My fear is all the attractive options will be gone by the time Parise and Suter decide.
- I believe Carle is going to get a ton of money. Once Suter signs there is nothing else out there as far as F.A. defensemen go.
Are all these teams positive the NHL is going to accept these contract offers to Suter and Parise? 12 year deals? I wonder if the NHL is going to send a message to the NHLPA and void contracts of that length.
I would say pass on Parise, but if you do he goes to Pittsburg, maybe the Rangers. Seems more about keeping him out of the hands of your biggest rivals.— chham57 - End this regime and maybe we'll care.— terpaholic
- Noone is going anywhere until they decide, because once they sign their megadeals, the bar goes up, and they all get more money....thats the sad truth about todays sports. Parise is going to get Crosby money, and Suter too....something wrong with that. And Giroux makes less than the discarded JVR...wow.— philly thug
- Oh Junod. Dang your cleverness! At least the garlic covers the semen taste.
- can we please just forget about Suter, Parise, Jagr and Carle at this point already. The best way to help this team is not signing anyone. Package Read, Laughton and a 1st or 2nd rounder to the Ducks and get Bobby Ryan. Then go with that squad into season and adjust from there. I don't know what is so complicated about that. If that recipe doesn't work then the 2013 free agent pool will be large and you'll be able to sign players for more realistic $$$. We have a good offensive young core in Giroux, Couts, Schenn.....try not to f up our future by being greedy. Have we not learned anything from Amaro and the Phillies?— phillyfan880123
Comment removed.- I'm pretty sure "numbnuts" said Laughton, not Leighton. — youresosmart
- @Kelprod… Don't know if this helps any but Scott Laughton was the Flyers 1st round draft pick this year. Anyway, I don't think the package of Read/Laughton and the 2 picks is enough to get Bobby Ryan away from the Ducks. — paulNC
- If they got Suter then I think your D order is wrong. I would love to see them get Parise, Suter and then Trade Hartnell and Rinado for Ryan which keeps the team young with high caliber scoring. If we can't get Parise or Suter then Carle and Jagr along with above proposed Ryan trade might be ok.— connorjr
- Marc Andre Bourdon is a good candidate for that 6th defenseman spot. Even if they landed Suter, the cap will probably require that they move a guy like Meszaros to fit him under. Plus Bourdon will not be exempt from waivers this season so they'll need to carry him on the NHL roster this year or stash him in the AHL for the full season. If he's in the NHL, he needs to play, not sit as the 7th defenseman.— broadstreetblogs.com
- Comment removed.
- Bobby Ryan stinks, he's more of a by-product of playing with Gezlat and Perry, why else would the Ducks want to get rid of him.— flyers2thecup
- I wouldn't say he stinks, but I'm with you. I don't understand this city's love of this guy? Someone please explain to me why bobby ryan comes up in every discussion? It is because he has become a darling in the media because he is from nj. JVR was also from nj.....how did that one work out? bobby ryan is pretty good, but there are better players out there we could get. And I do agree with you on this one too, he is playing with Corey Perry. The media in this town have simply run out of things to talk about, so they make up their own. — kozykoz26
