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Parise: “Gary’s pretty adamant about his third lockout of his tenure”

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We haven’t really heard any real strong words from anyone on either side of this summer’s labor talks. That is until Zach Parise decided to speak his mind.

Parise spoke with Ben Goessling of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and says while the players are eager to get a deal done and play, he feels NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has another aim entirely.

“I think the ’04-'05 season is still pretty fresh in everyone’s minds, and now we find ourselves in the same position,” Parise said after a workout in St. Louis Park on Tuesday, Aug. 26. “It’s not good for the game. It’s not good for anyone. We’re ready to play. We want to play. But (NHL commissioner) Gary (Bettman)'s pretty adamant about his third lockout of his tenure.”

There’s a lot of truth in what Parise is saying there, but you have to wonder what his logic is in trashing the league’s boss. To say Bettman is “adamant” about another lockout is stretching the truth.

That said, it’s clear there’s frustration with many players who are looking at possibly not playing and not getting paid starting on September 15. That gigantic new deal Parise (and Ryan Suter) signed with Minnesota might have something to do with that.