Zach Parise’s father clarifies traitorous comments about his son fitting with Rangers

While the New Jersey Devils' series against the New York Rangers has had its media-driven controversies — please recall the "Marty Brodeur wants the Devils to maim Rangers shot blockers" tale — that the father of a Devils star player would play free-agent matchmaker with their archrivals was an irresistible story.

On Friday, Newsday published a piece in which J.P. Parise, father of New Jersey Devils captain and summer free-agent Zach Parise, said his son would "fit right in" with the rival Rangers, thanks in part to a relationship with Coach John Tortorella forged at the 2010 Winter Games.

Later that day, he clarified his comments, lest any Devils fan believe he was indicating interest from their captain in joining the Rangers this summer. From Fire & 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."

So there you go. Case closed. Well, save for the fact that Parise is tight with Torts. And the Rangers will have some cap space next summer. And Glen Sather hasn't shied away from signing Devils free agents before.