#ryansutter

[kphockeyblog-blog]

The Nashville Predators announce that Captain Shea Weber would stay a Predator. The Preds matched Philly's 14-year, $110M deal. It was perfect timing for Weber as Nashville couldn't afford losing another defenseman as they lost Ryan Sutter to Minnesota. GM David Poile and his staff had very little time to make a quick decision but nonetheless, they made the right one and kept the fans happy.

[kphockeyblog-blog]

Mo' Money, No Problems: Parise's Name Means Big Profit

   For those keeping up with the NHL Free Agency Frenzy beginning on July 1, it's been somewhat slow. Sure, there have beeen some familar names floating around, like Colby Armstrong, George Parros, Brad Boyes and so on, heading to new clubs but on America's 236th birthday, there was no bigger shock as New Jersey Devils' captain Zach Parise signed a 13-year deal, worth $98M with the Minnesota Wild. Along with Parise was Nashville's Ryan Sutter, who was the possibly the best defensemen available in Free Agency. Parise, a native of Minneapolis, may become the Wild's money maker, as jerseys with his name are starting to sell...well, wildly.

   Minnesota (35-36-11 in the 2011-12 regular season) have been struggling in the past few years and rebuilding the franchise into a competitive forve. They last made the playoffs during the 2007-08 season, where they were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche. That season, they finished 44-28-10 and first in the Northwest Division. Now enetering his second season as head coach, Mike Yeo looks to turn the Wild's bad luck into brilliant success.

   Parise, who like many NHL star players, briefly played at Shattuck-St.Mary's in Fairbult, MN. However, he really made a name for himself at the University of North Dakota, where Parise racked up 49G and 67A in his two-year run from 2002-02. He was drafted 17th overall by the Devs during the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. From there, the rest is history.

Now joining the likes of Heatley, Setoguchi, Koivu, Clutterbuck, Cullen and Sutter, Parise is surely going to be the Wild's biggest profitable players, being a hometown star that's one of the best forwards in the league. Don't be surprised if the Wild come out as one of the top three teams in the Northwest next season as they will have to fight for it with Vancouver and Edmonton. For Zach Parise, the sky's the limit and he has plenty of time to work his magic in the state of hockey. Mo' Money, No Problems.