Feb 25, 2020
Guerin: Wild 'excited to still have' Parise
TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reported Monday the Minnesota Wild were working on a trade to send Zach Parise to the New York Islanders that didn't come together. Wild GM Bill Guerin said following the deadline that Parise was aware of potential moves the team could make and added he's excited to still have the veteran forward.
TSN.ca Staff
TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reported Monday the Minnesota Wild were working on a trade to send Zach Parise to the New York Islanders that didn't come together before the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin said following the deadline that Parise was aware of potential moves the team could make and added he's excited to still have the veteran forward on his roster.
“Zach and I have a good relationship,” Guerin said. “We’ve talked over the last week about certain possibilities. We were both completely upfront with each other and honest with what was going on or feelings or anything like that. The fact that nothing happened today is fine. We’re just looking forward on now. Zach’s a big part of the Minnesota Wild … and we’re excited to still have him.”
Prior to the deadline, The Athletic reported that Parise had agreed to waive his no-trade clause and Islanders forward Andrew Ladd had done the same to head back the other way. The two teams, however, are believed to have been unable to complete the move with both players owning significant cap hits.
Parise, 35, is signed for another five seasons at a $7.54 million cap hit, while Ladd is under contract through 2022-23 at a $5.5 million cap hit.
“A lot of deals are complicated just because of the salary cap and salaries and the way things go and what you can do,” Guerin said. “A lot of deals get complicated. If this one was to happen, it would’ve been no different.”
Guerin did, however, admit that discussions held on Monday could set the stage for moves in the off-season.
“Yeah, definitely,” Guerin said. “There are certain moves that just require more time and a little more detail. Sometimes you want to get through a season with a player and revisit it. You’re not unhappy with him, but you could see the potential return you could get, so you revisit it.
“We’ll handle that at the end of the season.”
In his eighth season with the Wild, having signed a 13-year deal in 2012, Parise has 21 goals and 37 points through 61 games.
Ladd has played in just two games with the Islanders this season, failing to record a point. The 34-year-old, who was recalled to the Islanders before the deadline, has 11 goals and 14 points in 34 games with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season.