Zach Parise can be a free agent on July 1. Rumors have been swirling that several teams are prepared to make a run at the New Jersey Devils star left wing, a key player in the team’s run to this past season’s Stanley Cup Finals. Pro Hockey Talk reports that Parise still won’t rule out returning to New Jersey. [via The Star-Ledger]
“If that does happen, my agents have done a really good job of doing the best they can to prepare me for it. But first and foremost, we want to try to get things worked out with New Jersey,” Parise said. “I know the perception would be, ‘Oh, he wants out.’ But that’s not the case. I haven’t been lying. I’ve said all along how much I like playing in New Jersey. So that wouldn’t be me saying, ‘I don’t want to play there anymore.’ ”
Parise has spent his entire seven-year career with New Jersey. He has 194 goals and 216 assists in his career.