Do Recently Bought Out Zach Parise, Ryan Suter Make Sense For Bruins?

The Minnesota Wild had to have known when they signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to twin 12-year contracts that they would probably be eating those last few years.

And that’s exactly what’s happening.

Now, it’s time for the Boston Bruins to make one man’s trash another man’s treasure.

Parise makes less sense for Boston than Suter. Just guessing, but at this point, money isn’t going to make or break either players’ decision — they’re still going to get about 2/3rds of the money from their Wild contracts for the next few seasons. They’re both 36 and have yet to win a Stanley Cup, so one would have to think they’ll go to a contending team that gives them a compelling offer.

Parise doesn’t seem like he has a ton left to offer except for maybe a third line winger. He doesn’t score at the pace he used to, and the youth movement in Minnesota left him in healthy scratch territory. There’s no disputing the player he was, but there should be at least some interest in him, meaning he’ll likely get more than the veteran minimum with his next team. If the Bruins are going to spend a few million of their cap space to sign veteran wingers who will play on the third line, it shouldn’t be Parise.

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But Suter seems to make a lot of sense.

He’s not the player he used to be, but he’s a left-shot blue liner that can eat minutes (he averaged 22:11 ice time per game last season) and play in a top-four role. He is a fine enough two-way player, providing both puck-movement in the offensive zone and stable defense in his own end. Putting him with Brandon Carlo or Charlie McAvoy could pan out, even if he’s not the same guy that’s popped up on Norris Trophy ballots 10 years out of 16 in his career.

There is legitimate concern about what Suter could be like when he’s not being carried defensively by his partner. However, it’s not like he’s incompetent defensively, and the Bruins so desperately lacked offense from the blue line that they’d probably accept any defensive shortcomings in his game so long as they’re not that glaring.

It also helps that Bruins president Cam Neely outright admitted the Bruins are eyeing a left-shot, minute-eating defenseman. Those guys don’t grow on trees, and the fact the Bruins could target one and come in below market value is an avenue they absolutely should explore. If the price were right for Parise he’d be worth a flier, but somebody all but certainly will overpay him, so the Bruins probably should stay away.

Suter, on the other hand, makes too much sense.