Parise, Suter investigating free agency well

Parise, Suter investigating free agency well

Published Jul. 3, 2012 3:15 p.m. ET

Zach Parise needed at least another night of sleep before picking a team to play for next season.

Parise said Tuesday that he hadn't made a decision and doesn't have a timetable for one soon after landing in his home state at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

"I'm back here to talk with my family and make sure that we've done all the work that we need to do make sure we make the right decision," Parise told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.

Parise is not meeting with any teams Tuesday, one of his agents, Wade Arnott, told The Associated Press.

The New Jersey Devils want their top forward available to re-sign while Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Detroit and Minnesota are among the teams that are trying to lure him away.

Parise said he has been looking at where he wants to live, where he'll be happy and what team he wants to play for since hitting the market Sunday. And, he's looking forward to being done with the process.

"It's been a stressful couple days," Parise told the Star Tribune.

Ryan Suter, the top defenseman available, and Parise went into Day 3 of NHL free agency with teams and fans waiting for at least one of them to make a decision.

Suter's agent, Neil Sheehy, told the AP in an email: "When a young man is asked to commit for 13 years, why is it considered extraordinary to take a few days to make a decision?. A deal will happen when it happens."

The two free agents are both 27 and each has been with only one team during their seven-season careers. Suter has played for the Nashville Predators, who are hoping for a quick answer from him so that they can move onto Plan B if necessary. The Predators aren't alone.

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