The Minnesota Wild will make New Jersey Devils winger Zach Parise a hefty offer once the 27-year-old forward becomes a free agent on July 1, according to former Minnesota North Stars’ general manager Lou Nanne.
Nanne, who does not work for the Wild but is a hockey icon in the state where Parise was born, appeared on Minnesota’s KFAN Sports Radio Wednesday and expressed his doubt that the coveted Devils star will re-sign with New Jersey, despite Parise’s comments that he wants to remain with the only NHL club he’s played for.
“I really don’t think they’re gonna get him signed,” Nanne said of New Jersey, a team struggling with cap space.
“I had dinner with (Wild majority owner) Craig Leipold on Wednesday night. I know Chuck Fletcher and (Wild general manager) Craig Leipold really want Parise, and what Craig told me is how hard he’s going to go after him, and the kind of money he’s going after him, I don’t see how Parise’s not coming here.
“I can tell you this: No one is going to outbid the Wild. So if Parise goes somewhere else, you can bet he’s going for less money,” Nanne added. “I’m not going to say the figure, but it’s going to be plenty. It’s gonna be a lot more than I ever expected. It’s gonna be so substantial that I cannot see Zach Parise turning it down.”
Parise played midget AAA hockey for four seasons for the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Sabres in Faribult, Minnesota, where his father, former NHLer J.P., worked in the hockey program. (In 1972-73, J.P. had his best pro year with the Minnesota North Stars, scoring 75 points and being named to the NHL All-Star Game.)
Parise was born in Minneapolis during his father Jean-Paul’s time as assistant coach of the North Stars.
The NHL has yet to set the salary cap for the 2012-13 season. Under the old cap rules, the Wild has $21.67 million in space heading into the new season.
Parise made $6 million in 2011-12, but according to an article in the Minnesota Star-Tribune on Thursday, the Wild is “expected to offer Parise as much as $8.9 million annually.”
