When free agency opened on Monday at noon, it was clear that Zach Parise was going to be flooded with offers from a healthy amount of teams. By the late evening, Parise and his representation made it known that a decision was unlikely to be made on the first day but that one was likely going to come on Tuesday.
Now, the decision has no timetable to be made.
According to TSN reporter Mark Masters, Parise is refusing to place a deadline on this decision and that none of the team's involved are pressuring him to rush to one. He hopes to reach an agreement with one of his suitors in the near future and will be flying home from Toronto to discuss the options with his fiance.
Parise on taking his time: 'It's such a long-term, important decision, you have to make sure you look at everything'
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) July 2, 2012
Parise also noted that the New Jersey Devils' financial situation will not be a problem and will not factor in his decision. In addition, he has yet to eliminate any of the interested teams (or at least let it be known that he has).
Via the Star Tribune:
"We have thoroughly deliberated every option with Zach," agent Wade Arnott emailed me. "He wishes to take some time to step back and review all with his fiance and his family. We could be drawing closer to a decision."
The Minnesota Wild made it clear coming into this process that the organization was going to throw the most money at Parise in an effort to try and bring him home.
Despite rumors that he has narrowed his decision to the Chicago Blackhawks or Pittsburgh Penguins, it seems as though the Wild still have a shot at landing the forward.
I have been ensured my multiple folks that the #mnwild is very much still in this Parise ballgame
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) July 2, 2012
For more coverage of free agency, stay right here with this StoryStream. For more on the Wild, head over to Hockey Wilderness. And for more NHL news and analysis, be sure to visit SB Nation's NHL hub.
