Shortly after NHL free agency opened on Sunday, Pierre LeBrun reported that the Detroit Red Wings were sending owner Mike Ilitch, general manager Ken Holland and head coach Mike Babcock to Toronto to meet with free agent Zach Parise. Initially, there was some confusion over this report because Ilitch was expected to be in Wisconsin to meet with Ryan Suter. There was a change of plans, however, and Ilitch is instead set to be part of the Red Wings' contingent meeting with Parise.
According to MLive's Ansar Khan, the Red Wings have a meeting scheduled with Parise for Sunday afternoon.
Ilitch, Holland & Co. flying out this afternoon. They have one hour meeting with Parise slated for 3:30.
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) July 1, 2012
Several teams will likely be making an in-person pitch to Parise on Sunday. The Red Wings are merely one of them, but the fact that they will get an hour to make their presentation is nice to see. Hopefully they make the most of it and are able to convince Parise to sign with them.
UPDATE: The Free Press reports that Holland is currently at Joe Louis Arena and doesn't plan on going anywhere other than "home" later in the day. Perhaps this means he isn't joining Ilitch and Babcock for the in-person meeting, or perhaps the report about there being a meeting is incorrect.
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