The Minnesota Wild's improbable acquisition of both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter surprised the league -- and the Wild.
According to an article from The Pioneer Press, the Wild weren't necessarily expecting to land Parise and Suter. One or the other? Sure. But not both.
From the article:
"I don't think you ever think it's realistic you can land both of them," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "We felt if we could land a top (defenseman) or a top forward, it would really help our team. I don't think you ever go into it assuming you're going to land both of them....
"These guys were the premier free agents in this class," Fletcher said. "A lot of teams were pursuing them. Until this morning, when I received signed documents, we weren't 100 percent that this was going to happen. We're very fortunate the players made the decision they did."
The signings have been a hot topic around the league and among pundits, who have declared it "stunning" and a "shock," adding that it "rocked the NHL."
For more on the Minnesota Wild, check out Hockey Wilderness. You can check out more hockey news from around the league at SB Nation's NHL page, or watch SB Nation's YouTube channel: