The Minnesota Wild will get to work quickly when free agency opens at 11 a.m. CT Sunday as they try to convince Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, perhaps the two best players on the market, to play in the Twin Cities, says Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune.
It's quite possible that Wild owner Craig Leipold and even General Manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Mike Yeo could meet with Parise in person Sunday at his agent's office in Mississauga, Ontario, Russo says.
Parise will likely have half of the NHL's 30 teams seeking his services, but the Wild's sales pitch will center around the ability to play close to friends and family and to lead an up-and-coming nucleus to the most successful period in franchise history.
Minnesota are not the only NHL franchise with plenty of cap room, but they will have to overpay to get Parise, perhaps in the $9 to $10 million per year range, according to Russo.
If the Wild miss out on Parise, they'll turn their attention for defenseman Ryan Suter, who could command upwards of $7 million per year. Forwards Shane Doan, Dustin Penner or Peter Mueller also are possibilities if Parise signs elsewhere, as the Wild are looking to improve the second and third forward lines.
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