----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Sullivan" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 3:44 PM
Subject: Zach Parise Inks a Deal with the Devil(s)


> I just thought I'd beat the newspapers with the headline.  For those of
you who don't lurk on hockey message boards during office hours, shame on
you ;).    On Grand Forks radio this morning UND's coach Dean Blais announce
that sophomore Zach Parise has signed a deal with the NJ Devils.  I have
seen no official announcement on this but the source is a pretty good one.
Rumor is that the deal is a 3 year $3.2 million, with a $1.5 signing bonus.
>
> I for one thought that the impending NHL lockout would keep lots of
college hockey's top underclassmen in school.  Unfortunately, it appears
that if a player can sign now you had better, as the NHL's rookie contract
structure will probably be the first thing to get caped.

I think that they are being dumb, or overly pressured by their agents.
(Those probably amount to the same thing.)  There is a real possibility that
the lockout could wipe out all of next year.  If that happens, they have not
only lost an entire year of playing time at a crucial time in their
development, but quite possibly watched a large chunk of that big contract
vanish, depending upon how the new CBA deals with signed contracts.

There is a strong possibility that the long run financial consequences of
going pro right now will be negative, rather than positive, even if a rookie
salary cap is imposed.

J. Michael Neal