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Suter thinks owners are “trying to go back on their word”

Minnesota Wild Introduce Zach Parise and Ryan Suter - Press Conference

ST PAUL, MN - JULY 9: Craig Leipold, owner of the Minnesota Wild poses for pictures with Ryan Suter #20 during a press conference on July 9, 2012 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

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When people float conspiracy theories that owners signed big free agent deals this summer supposedly knowing they’d get some of that cash back, Ryan Suter’s name inevitably comes up.

If his interview with ESPN’s Craig Custance is any indication, Suter wouldn’t call those theories crazy.

“It’s disappointing. If you can’t afford to (sign contracts) then you shouldn’t do it,” Suter said. "(Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold) signed us to contracts. At the time he said everything was fine. Yeah, it’s disappointing. A couple months before, everything is fine, and now they want to take money out of our contracts that we already signed.”

” ... Now, they’re trying to go back on their word. It’s frustrating, disappointing. It doesn’t seem like that’s the way you operate a relationship or business.”

Well, those comments might make things a little awkward the next time Suter meets up with the guy who signs his heaping (and largely lockout-protected) checks.

Sure, his huge summer contract partner-in-crime Zach Parise also criticized owners about a week ago, but he didn’t single out the Wild owner.

To some this is just another example of the mounting rhetoric on both sides, yet it’s surprising to hear such bold comments from a guy who’s still getting paid pretty handsomely even with the NHL being out of action.