Zach Parise called himself a loyal person on Wednesday after signing with the Minnesota Wild, saying the only reasons he left the New Jersey Devils were to play in his home state and with his friend Ryan Suter.
"I think at the end it came between New Jersey and Minnesota," Parise said. "I have great friends in New Jersey. I'm a loyal person. I loved playing there. I told Lou, that, too. It came down to the idea of being able to come home to play and be around family."
Parise signed a 13-year, $98-million deal with Minnesota on Wednesday. He had played the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the Devils, scoring 31 goals with 38 assists for 69 points last season.
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