2012 NHL Free Agents: Ryan Suter, Zach Parise Smart to Take Time Before Signing

As disappointing as it may be for media outlets and hockey fans across the continent, free agents Ryan Suter and Zach Parise made the right choice in not hastily inking their name to an extended contract.

From the outside, it appears as though these players are simply choosing a professional hockey team to play for.

This decision, however, is so much more than that for each of them.

Deciding where to play this season could very well determine where these guys spend the next decade of their life.

For that reason, opting to take at least another day to mull over their options and compare their offers and the different cities cannot do them any harm.

After all, the offers aren't going anywhere and teams aren't going to lose interest in the best free agents the market has to offer.

With teams like Detroit, Pittsburgh and Minnesota known to be courting both of the American stars, it mayl be that they're both waiting for the other to sign before they make their decision and determine if they want to play with each other.

Parise and Suter will also surely be asking for input from their family and closest friends on such an important life choice.

Heck, waiting another day may even prompt some teams that originally thought they didn't have a chance at landing one of the two stars' services to put together an offer and enter the Suter and Parise sweepstakes.

On the Parise front, we may see the Minnesota native hold off on signing a deal with a new team until he has a chance to speak with New Jersey Devils brass and confirm that they don't have the resources to retain his services (after all, Parise has expressed his desire to remain in the Garden State).

No matter the reasons behind their decision to postpone signing their new contracts, it will only prove to be beneficial to them in the long run and they will be all the wiser for it.

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