NHL Free Agency Rumors: P.A. Parenteau Will Have Plenty of Interested Suitors

The New York Islanders might not have felt P.A. Parenteau was worth a raise, but plenty of other teams will be happy to give him one. 

The news comes from Renaud P. Lavoie:

"

According to sources out of Long Island, it appears PA Parenteau is headed to free agency on July 1.

— Renaud P Lavoie (@RenLavoieRDS) June 20, 2012"

But why would they let go of Parenteau, who is coming off a 67-point season? CBC's Elliotte Friedman has an idea:

"

Sometimes, people look at guys like him and say, "He's only getting points because he's playing with John Tavares." While that may be true, it's always a gamble the next guy has the same chemistry with your star. Or that Parenteau will go somewhere else and get 67 points with a different star.

"

OK, that might be a solid point. It's not hard to see why the Islanders wouldn't want to pay for a one- or two-year wonder (Parenteau had nine career points before tallying 53 last year and 67 this one). 

The $1.25 million he made last year was the most Parenteau has made in his career, but you can bet he's going to be looking for a much larger contract than that. Sometimes it's just best to let a solid player go, and that's what New York is doing.

But while the Islanders aren't going to shell out tons of money to the 29-year-old, you can be absolutely sure that another team will. 

It's in our blood to pay for stats. You see Parenteau's season, which was behind only Ray Whitney and Zach Parise in terms of points, and you want him. You forget about all other factors because you immediately assume he will produce like that again. 

Who cares that, until last year, he had never produced like that? Who cares that he's going to command one of the biggest contracts of any free agent this summer? 

It's not far fetched that other teams will see Parenteau's season and think, we can mimic New York's chemistry. We have the right type of talent to surround him.

Will that type of thinking work? Only time will tell. Parenteau is talented, but it's uncertain whether he'll truly repeat his success. Will it happen and will Parenteau get a huge contract, regardless of what New York was willing to give him? Absolutely. 

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