Mark Parrish released by Wild
I don't know what's going on in this picture
From traded with Oleg Kvasha for Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen to released by the Wild, it ain’t easy being Mark Parrish.
It’s really too bad. Had it not been for injuries and Jacques Lemaire’s seeming distaste for his game, he would have been worth the $2.6 million he was getting paid to score the 35-45 points he provides a year.
As I reported June 11, it was hard to see where Parrish fit in on this team. In that story, I mentioned that sources were telling me Doug Risebrough was offering him in a trade everywhere. I also mentioned buying out Parrish as a possibility. But I suggested the Wild would be smarter to put him on waivers in camp and then call him up on re-entry waivers so they save half the cap.
…
If Parrish is claimed, that team will incur his salary and cap hit. If he clears and the Wild indeed buys him out like I know it plans, it’ll have to pay 2/3 of his contract or $5,566,667.
Parrish scored 35 goals over two injury-shortened seasons in Minnesota, and at only 31, he might be worth the $1.3 million for the next three seasons. Someone will pick him up, I think, and I’d assume Minnesota is counting on it. Otherwise they’re on the hook for close to $1 million a year for the next six in his buyout.
