It’s no surprise that no matter where Zach Parise signs today he’s going to cash in big. But just how big? Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos says it’s going to be a whopper.
Kypreos says anyone looking to land the Devils’ captain will be asked to pay up with two different $12 million signing bonuses. One will be paid right away up front as a means to protect against a possible lockout, the second to be paid up before next season. Yes, $24 million in the first two years of the deal.
Signing bonuses do count against the salary cap and that means if you want to not wind up with a $12 million cap hit, you have to have a long-term deal with less money in the following years to help knock that number down. Should these demands turn out to be true, you’re looking at Parise getting 10 years or more from whoever lands him to keep the cap hit reasonably sane.
We know Pittsburgh’s offer to Parise will be in the $7-8 million per year range, but with the first two years being that large, you’re looking at a very long contract should the Pens be serious about landing Parise. Teams like Detroit, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Ottawa will be hot for him too, but with this sort of demand, the herd should thin out fast.