Things aren’t looking great for the New Jersey Devils right now. They’re down 3-0 to the Kings in the Stanley Cup finals and have managed to score just two goals in those three games. Making things more uncomfortable, another loss brings on the offseason and that means time to speculate where soon-to-be free agent Zach Parise might play next.
Larry Brooks of the New York Post points out Parise’s future very well may not wind up in New Jersey as a dozen teams will be ready to vie for Parise’s services for possibly the rest of his career. Brooks says the kind of deal Parise can expect will look awfully familiar.
This all but certainly will be the final summer in which, a) players will be allowed to sign front-loaded contracts with huge signing bonuses that this year will also serve as lockout-protection; and b) players will be permitted to sign contracts without term limits.
Indeed, Parise can expect offers modeled after the nine-year, $60 million contract Brad Richards signed last summer with the Rangers, under which the center is receiving $24 million the first two years, including a $10 million signing bonus last July and an $8 million signing bonus due next month.
Brooks mentions Detroit, Boston, the Rangers, Toronto, Minnesota, and San Jose as likely instantly interested teams.
At the very least, if the Devils want to get back in the series and keep hope alive, a win would help that cause. A win will also keep the free agency vultures away for a few more days.
