The New Jersey Devils have named Zach Parise their team Captain with Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias as Alternate Captains. Parise, who has played all 6 NHL seasons with the Devils, could be the face of the franchise for years to come. Or maybe not.
In the off-season Parise and the Devils had a shaky go at signing the young 27 year old to a multi-year deal. What looked like an inevitable arbitration hearing, the two sides finally agreed upon a 1-year, $6 million dollar contract. For Devil’s fans, this was a step in the right direction in keeping Parise long term. For all other hockey fans, it seemed likely Parise will become possible trade deadline bait in the upcoming NHL season and/or one of the top off-season free agents. With the new Captaincy placed firmly on his chest, hockey fans are now left to wonder even more what the future holds for the star forward.
The Devils have named Parise Captain, for better or for worse, but in hopes of creating more of an emotional tie to the organization. In doing so, the team is hoping that they can avoid losing him to another team after his contract is up after this season. What surely is a ploy could very well come back and nip the Devils in the butt.
Not all players are cut out to be Captains, but that does not seem to be the case with Parise. Parise is a superstar and a genuinely good player with heart. When healthy, Parise can easily reach the 35
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