J.P. Parise back tracks on comments

Zach Parise (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am one of those fans that is holding out hope that former Fighting Sioux forward Zach Parise ends up signing a free agent contract with the Minnesota Wild in the off season and finishes his hockey career in the "State of hockey."

After reading after reading J.P. Parise's comments the other day I got to thinking that the Rangers could be a destination for much sought after free agent player. 

Denis Gorman, New Jersey --- J.P. Parise was quoted in Friday’s edition of Newsday as saying, Zach “likes [John Tortorella] a lot,” and that his son “would fit in right there” with the Rangers. Zach Parise was a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s hockey team, which Tortorella was an assistant coach on. Ryan Callahan was also a member of that team.

J.P. Parise went on to clarify his comments  he made about the Rangers being a possible team that might seek Parise's services.

Tom Gulitti, Fire and Ice --- “I have to say I was extremely disappointed in how my comments were portrayed in today’s newspaper article,” J.P. Parise said. “I would never speak for Zach under any circumstance. He has not talked to me about anything other than the playoffs and we have not discussed anything but the playoffs and that is 100 percent where his focus is right now and I have absolutely no intentions to distract and get things away from his focus right now.”

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(Video) Brandon Prust Elbows Anton Volchenkov

How many games do you think that Rangers forward Brandon Prust be suspended for this dirty elbow on New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov? There was no penalty called on the play but from vantage point on the coach, this appears to be a chicken wing elbow by Prust on Volchenkov and a violation of rule 48 - as I interpret this from reading the rule book - to quote Brendan Shanahan, "this is an illegal hit to the head."

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.

In closing, I expect that Brandon Prust will receive at least a one game suspension for his hit to the head on Volchenkov. I think the NHL has to suspend Prust because the NHL has set a precedence finally, after getting it wrong during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While it's true Prust doesn't have a history of being a dirty player or does it appear that he has ever been suspended or fined by the NHL, neither had Claude Giroux at the time of his suspension in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.