Rangers fans are no doubt familiar with Zach Parise’s “No way” declaration about the possibility of joining the Blueshirts as a free agent in the summer of 2012 after spending the first seven years of his career with the Devils.
But they didn’t know — until now — that Parise, who signed a 13-year, $98 million deal with Minnesota, phoned John Tortorella soon after to tell the-then Rangers; coach he meant no disrespect.
“Torts and I have a really good relationship from being together at the Olympics and World Championships, we’ve always gotten along really well, and I didn’t want him to think I had any lack of respect for him or the Ranger organization,” Parise told The Post Sunday before the Wild met the Blueshirts at the Garden.
“The situation at the time, we had just gone through a tough six games [in the conference final] against them, and it was two days after we lost the Final to L.A., so I was still pretty ticked off when someone asked me about maybe signing with the Rangers,” the Wild alternate captain said.
“Then I saw the headline, ‘No Way!” and I was bothered by the way it looked. I didn’t want him or anyone there to misinterpret what I meant, so I gave him a call and we had a good chat.”
Parise began to chuckle at the memory of the conversation.
“Actually, you know what he said?” the winger asked before answering. “He said he’d had his share of troubles with the media, too.”
The 29-year-old Minneapolis native, who will be part of the core of the U.S. Olympic team that will compete in Sochi, entered Sunday night’s match tied for the Wild point-scoring lead with 15 goals and 12 assists.
“I’ve really enjoyed playing at home. I just really like being there,” Parise said. “I always went back over the summers. I have friends I grew up with; it’s just really comfortable.
“But I have to say, coming back here [on the road trip] a couple of days ago, I really miss it, too.”
The former Devils’ captain will make his first appearance in New Jersey as a visitor on March 20. The Wild did not play in the east during last season’s lockout-truncated season.
“I didn’t get the chance to get into New Jersey on this trip,” he said. “They were playing, otherwise I would have gotten together for dinner with a few of the guys.”
Then he said jokingly: “Of course, I don’t know if I would have been allowed through the Tunnel.”
The Rangers are awaiting the results of an MRI exam performed on Dylan McIlrath’s knee after an injury he sustained Saturday night playing for the AHL Wolf Pack. It’s the same knee the defenseman, who had played two games for the Blueshirts last week before being reassigned to Hartford on Friday, had surgically repaired during the summer of 2012 following a dislocation.
Cam Talbot received his first start in goal since Dec. 2 after serving as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup for the previous eight games.