Minnesota Wild played a strategic game over 72 hours to secure the best free agents -NHL Update
Offering a large sum of money is something that every team in the National Hockey League (NHL) can do, almost every team that is, but Minnesota Wild and general manager Chuck Fletcher played a strategic game that led them to signing two of the top free agents in the market over a period of 72 hours.
Zach Parise and Ryan Suter were not believed to be leaving behind their team, but the Minnesota management played their cards in an exceptional manner and managed to bring both of them on board to a lofty paying 13-year contract.
The Wild will be spending a total of $196 million over the next 13 years on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter and are definitely expecting stipends to go way above their expectations, but that 72-hour journey is one that GM Fletcher will never forget.
"The first two days were extremely stressful," Fletcher said. "I remember thinking well into July 2, 'We're out, we're done, we're dead in the water, we've got to make a trade.' I didn't have any feeling that we were a favorite or on the map. I felt we weren't there."
Going up against teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild had to work their magic in order to bring the players towards their club. GM Fletcher definitely proved to be a natural salesman, convincing not only one, but both players to come on board.
"And once those contracts came through on July 4, I just can't tell you the feeling," Fletcher added. "You're relieved, but you're almost numb ... because there was so little sleep, so much worry, so much not in your control."
Ryan Suter was not one of those players that had Minnesota on mind, but the Wild got the job done while Zach Parise wanted to stay with New Jersey Devils but amazingly, got on board with Minnesota and returned to his native city of Minneapolis.
It will not be interesting to see where both players will be leading the club next season as a majority of the fans will have their eyes on Minnesota the whole way.
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