Wild To Buy Out Parise and Suter

by | Jul 13, 2021 | News, NHL, Rumors | 29 comments

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin announced today his club will buy out the final four years of the contracts of winger Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter.

Ryan Suter (left) and Zach Parise bought out by the Minnesota Wild (NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Former Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher signed Parise and Suter to identical 13-year, $98 million contracts on July 4, 2012. Those deals were heralded at the time as the start of the Wild’s push to become Stanley Cup contenders.

The duo played well for much of their tenures in Minnesota. Parise had 199 goals and 400 points in 558 games during the past nine seasons while Suter had 55 goals and 369 points in 656 contests. The Wild reached the playoffs during their first six seasons but failed to advance past the second round.

As time went on and Parise and Suter aged, those contracts became more burdensome against the Wild’s cap payroll as their performances inevitably began to decline. With younger players garnering more playing time and responsibilities, Guerin needed to ensure he wouldn’t lose one of them in the upcoming expansion draft. He also wanted to free up salary-cap space to re-sign such notables as Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala and perhaps make additions via trades or free agency.

The Wild will garner over $10 million in cap savings next season, but they will see substantial dead cap space in 2022-23 ($12.7 million combined) and 2023-24 and 2024-24 ($14.7 million for each season) before dropping to a combined $1.66 million for the remaining four years of the buyouts.

Parise and Suter will become unrestricted free agents. Each could become affordable short-term options for playoff contenders looking to add experience and leadership to their lineups.







29 Comments

  1. How does it work financially for the players and another team if they are bought out and sign with another team.?

  2. They can sign with another team for whatever they want.

    • Seems like Parise is a lock for the Islanders. The thought of Suter joining Tampa Bay to take Savard’s spot on third pairing for league minimum. yikes

      • It’ll take more than the league minimum to sign Suter. He still has value. As their contracts were extremely front-loaded, Suter and Parise will only be receiving $6,666,666.67 in actual money over the next 8 years. So while Suter will obviously not command a high salary, he’ll still be looking for decent money. I don’t see him taking anywhere near the minimum even for a good chance at the Cup.
        Suter and Weber were defensive partners in Nashville before the big trade. Might there be a fit with the Habs? Worth looking into. Could be a 2-year bridge till guys like Guhle and Norstrom are ready.

      • Hi Howard

        Each of them only lost $3.3 M (and that’s gross) and they would have had to play 4 more years to get that

        Suter for league min Sal; $750 K SB; gets almost 1/2 his gross losses back in 1 year; gets the SB immediately; and at that price; has choice of where he will go….and I would hope his manager demands an NTC with a verbal promise to be traded to a contender at TDL ;IF team he signs with, is NOT near top in Div @ TDL

        Acquiring team gets reasonable pick up; low cost; absolute worst case…. The team fails in the standings…. Move him for pick & TDL

  3. Suter would look with Weber again

    • My bad. Suter left for Minny 4 years before Weber was traded. Might still be worth looking into.

  4. I will take Suter in NY for a 2-3M for a 2 yr deal.

  5. Does this remove Dumba from trade rumors? Don’t need to protect Suter in expansion draft now.

  6. I would take Parise one or two years minimum salary after the expansion draft for the Isles. He could be great on the power play something the Isles are lacking and let him play around 55 games. Rest him a lot and let him loose in the playoffs play a lot of minutes. Lou drafted him good fit. As for Suter I hope Tampa doesn’t get him. But I think they will good grief.

    • Tampa is like $3m. over the salary cap. And still must sign a backup goalie, 2 D-men and 3 forwards. They will have to subtract, not add. The only way they would sign Suter is if he takes the league minimum for a chance to win the Cup. I don’t see that happening. He will only be getting $833,333 from the buyout next season. He likely still wants to make decent money.

      • “They will have to subtract, not add.

        Yes, they’ll subtract, but then they’ll still have to add because they’ll need a 23-man roster.

  7. This sucks! I loved the Keith deal till now. Because I’m pretty sure The Oil could’ve landed Suter for a song!
    Mr Holland…..from here on out…..PATIENCE! This league is about to EXPLODE with buyouts…..and FAs…..and BETTER trade options.

    • Not sure Suter would go to EDM as he is a US guy. Born, raised and played there his whole career. Never say never, but at that point in their lives I get it.
      It’s the western Canadian guys like Nuge and Keith who look to play and live there for the most part.
      I’ll take Keith anyway, the Oil are a better team today with him than without. The more I think about it the more I like it.

    • “I loved the Keith deal till now.”

      You did??!?!??!?!

    • Ken Holland was the “sucker” in this deal before Suter was bought out. Holland had all the leverage because chicago NEEDED to get rid of Duncan Keith but the Oilers didn’t NEED to add Keith to their lineup.

      What happened? Holland agreed to eat the $5.5+ AAV for chicago, gave up assets AND did NOT get any sweetners like draft choice/s, young player/s OR having chicago retain part of Keith’s salary.

      Is Ken Holland going to try to sign Bobby Orr next? He has an impressive resume just like Duncan Keith.

      There’s a sucker born every minute. On that day, it was Ken Holland who THEN gives the most arrogant, condescending interview I’ve seen yet this year. Sad, it’s all very, very sad.

      • Nasdaq, CHI didn’t need to get rid of Keith, Keith asked to see if he could facilitate a trade to western Canada or Seattle. They had no intention of trading him until then.
        They didn’t have to do anything, it was an ask not a demand. Keith isn’t going to sit and not play if it doesn’t work out.

        So if Edm doesn’t sign Keith who plays D for them. Remember they are in win now mode.
        You say they didn’t need to add Keith, so this is the part where you enlighten us with who that is. Barry is a UFA as is Larsson. Who is EDM protecting in expansion draft?
        Also remember Broberg (20 yrs old, 8th overall is coming to NA and will be ready in a year or 2 for 2nd pair).
        Oleksiak? Martinez? How long would they sign for? Would they come here?
        Please tell us wise one what you would have done. Details matter so please include. Let’s see who the sucker is.

        Also almost every scout who has been quoted says Keith can still play at a high level.

  8. I posted re the buyouts in the Rumours section…. So reposting here where it is more appropriate:

    “ Wow

    Billy G …. I didn’t think BOTH would be bought out…. Dead cap closing in on $5 M this year; then near $13 M in 22/23; then two years of almost $15 M…. Wow….

    Leaving no space to compete in 22/3 to 24/5…. So all in this year and then rebuild ?
    Billy G…. Big move !!

    Both players lost $3.3 M gross… but would have had to play 4 more years to get that

    Parise 37 in 2 weeks; Suter will be 37 in Jan

    They should get picked up for reasonable contracts….. note both are 35 + contracts , so if 2 or more years… won’t be SB in 2nd plus year(s) and won’t be front end loaded

    My guess….

    1 year each…. Both get League Min Sal plus:

    Suter… add $750 K SB…. Cap hit $1.45M

    Parise…. Add $300 K SB …. $1.0 M Cap

    This would be a smart pick up for GMRF….. just cash….

    Flip both at TDL for picks…. Incentive for both… stay team-mates…. Get tax adv while with Krakken… would be signing with Ronny with his verbal promise of being traded to a contender at TDL”

    • Pengy, Are we talking about salary for Ryan Suter?

      Would you rather have 2 and a fraction Ryan Suter’s or 1 Duncan Keith?

      Maybe that just shows what a “sucker” Ken Holland was in the Keith trade???

      (I won’t even go into the Parise for $1.3m.)

  9. I just thought of something…. With these buyouts; Wild down a Fwd and an LD

    How about we reverse the Zucker trade …. Sort of…,but alter it slightly

    1st and Addison back (where they belong)

    Zucker back (where he belongs)

    Throw in Pettersson ?

  10. Why not buyout Praise and hold Suter one year. Their defence is deep and I think they thought they would lose one anyway. Short straw over Dumba Spurgeon Brodin and Pengy’s favourite depth defence-man Soucy

    They arrived and left as a set . Hey Winnipeg is just up the street.

    • Hi SS

      They’ll be protecting Dumba for sure now but their left in a catch 22 spot….. they don’t have 7 forwards that “should” be protected

      Maybe 6; not 7

      They have to protect Zuck (NMC); and of course will protect JEE; Fiala and Greenway

      So if they go 8-1 (4-4-1) to protect Soucy, they’ll lose one of Hartman or Foligno (I doubt Francis takes Bjug)

      If they go 7-3-1…. They’ll be wasting the 7th Fwd protection on someone like Bjug ; over Soucy

      I’ve not included current UFAs or Rask or Sturm as I don’t think GMRF bites on any of those

      RFAs…Bitten, Shaw and Sokolov….. again, to me it’s doubtful that Francis bites on them

      So …. My guess , barring a side deal… one of Hartman , Foligno, or Soucy goes…. Gut feeling…. Soucy

  11. Suter logical move….

    Buyout cost him $1.8 M lost take home (would have had to play 4 more years)…..

    Sign with Knights….

    2 years, first year $700 K Sal; $700 K SB; 2nd year $1.4 M Sal

    Cap hit to vegas… $1.4 M (replaces Martinez much cheaper)

    If he plays both years… including his buyout… his take home (from what he would have received from Wild had he not been bought out) is virtually unchanged (overall loss less than $20 K)

    If he retires after one year;…. No Cap hit for Vegas next year (new rules for 35+ contracts that are flat on multi-year deals with no SBs in out-years)… and his net loss take home verbally is a fraction over $800 K

    And he is signing with a cup contender… only team NOT losing a player to Krakken

    Just a thought

    *figures per Gavingroup

    • Virtually NOT verbally

    • Vegas had their top line disappear against the Habs. They have little to no depth at C. How is spending money on their D going to resolve that issue?
      Suter is 36, is still a top 4 defensmen and in 19-20 was pacing for a career year with 50+ points. League min? come on man.

  12. Bruins need a 2nd pair LD—I would think that is Suter–Will be plenty of interest for him. Zach will be in Vegas with Deboer or on Long Island with Lou. Longshot to the Rangers with Drury in a leadership role

  13. Weber was upset when Suter didn’t sign with Nashville. They were close at the time. There will be no “reunion”. So Habs fans, forget about it”.

    The Parise/Suter “experiment” fell short. The only way either get a sniff at the cup is with another team. Getting paid to sit home. Guerin got some balls.

  14. No way does either Suter or Parise sign for league min. It was the same talk a few years ago with Pavelski hit the market, signing league min to a contender…

  15. Wouldn’t EVERY team in the NHL want Suter AND Parise at league mininum?