"Former Minnesota North Stars captain J.P. Parise says his youngest son, New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise, wants to sign next summer with the NHL team that will give him the best chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Could that be the Wild?

The elder Parise called Minnesota "a young, coming team."

After signing a one-year contract for $6 million with the Devils last summer, Parise is scheduled to become a free agent following this season.

"He likes to win," J.P. said after watching the Devils work out at the Xcel Energy Center on Thursday in preparation for tonight's game against the Wild at the X. "He likes to have a chance to win, and right now it's kind of tough with the Devils."

J.P., one of Minnesota's most popular players during his days as a feisty winger for the North Stars and the former director of hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, Minn., said his son wants to see if the Devils are headed toward future playoff success before deciding where he'll end up.

New Jersey goes into tonight's game with a 12-10-1 record after dropping a 6-1 decision to Colorado on Wednesday.

"They have acquired some pretty good players, good young kids," J.P. said. "How this will develop by the time the year is over; then he'll decide. He's not in a rush to do anything." "