The Flyers are one of several teams squarely in the mix for Parise and Suter, as multiple reports have indicated. According to a source, the Flyers have made a 12-year pitch to both players, ranging somewhere between $80 million and $100 million each.
No, that wasn't a misprint. The Flyers actually made a serious pitch for two players who could total nearly $200 million. One report even suggested that the Flyers were the leader in the clubhouse in terms of actual dollars being spent.
Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren was not available to comment on the reports on Sunday night. Both players are expected to make a decision on Monday.
The organizational source said Parise and Suter — previously property of the Devils and Predators, respectively — are actually taking the time to not only mull over their prospective new homes but to see if they can land in the same spot. They want to be a package deal. One problem is that these Team USA teammates don't have the same representation to try and work in conjunction.
The Flyers are one of a handful of teams — including Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minnesota and Nashville — with the stated intention of bringing in both parts of the puzzle. Whether or not the Flyers can actually afford both of those players under the $70.2 million cap depends on the offer — but it seems like a longshot.
And maybe, for the Flyers, it's better that way.
Don't get me wrong, Suter and Parise — as a package or in the singular — would be a nice piece for any team. But neither makes for a ‘‘franchise player,'' an addition that immediately transforms any team into a Stanley Cup favorite.
If the Penguins don't bring in either Parise or Suter, there is a good chance they will still be the odds-on favorites in Las Vegas when the puck drops this fall (or winter).
Somehow, the NHL turned into the unwatchable NBA overnight, forcing teams to bid against each other in a frenzy to vastly overpay for marginal talent just to spend to the $54.2 salary-cap minimum. That's why players like Garrison, Parenteau and Prust were making it rain on Sunday night.
Unbelievably, Garrison left money on the table to sign a 6-year, $27.6 million deal in his hometown of Vancouver. Garrison, 27, doesn't even have three full seasons under his belt. But he posted 16 goals on a Florida Panthers defense pairing with Brian Campbell. Pay day!
Parenteau, 29, has signed a 1-year deal for the last six summers for a reason. He cashed in with a 4-year, $16 million deal in Colorado after a 67-point year on a line with John Tavares on the Island. Prust, 28, is a grinder who is now $10 million richer in Montreal.
Now, the futures of Carle and Jagr in Philadelphia hinge on Parise and Suter. Both Flyers free agents fielded multiple offers on Sunday, but those numbers will skyrocket once the supply shrinks when Parise and Suter are off the table.
And they are very much still in play with the Flyers. Without Parise, the Flyers need a winger like Jagr to add scoring punch. Without Suter, the Flyers need a consistent defenseman like Carle to balance out their top six.
Granted, it's better to overpay for elite talent like Parise and Suter than to throw $4.6 million a year for the next six seasons at an unproven commodity like Garrison. The Flyers may just be better off with a similar roster to last season. It just seems like the winner of this frenzied sweepstakes may actually end up being the loser.
Contact Frank Seravalli at seravaf@phillynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DNFlyers. For more Flyers coverage and opinion, read his blog at www.philly.com/FrequentFlyers.
