Zach Parise

At 39 years old, Zach Parise has this physical status:

Parise played midget AAA hockey for four seasons for the Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres in Faribault, Minnesota, where his father J. P. worked in the hockey program. During his final two years (2000–01 and 2001–02) at Shattuck-St. Mary's, he scored 146 goals and 194 assists in 125 games. While playing for the Sabres, Parise twice participated in the Mac's AAA Hockey Tournament held in Calgary, Alberta. In 2000 and 2001, Parise was named the tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) as well as being named to the tournament All-Star Team. He was the top scorer at the 2001 tournament. After his senior year at Shattuck-St. Mary's, Parise was named the school's Best All-Around Athlete.

Parise played NCAA hockey for the University of North Dakota (UND) starting with the 2002–03 season. In his first game with UND, Parise scored three goals, becoming only the second freshman to record a hat-trick since 1988. During his freshman season at UND, Parise led the NCAA in rookie scoring (26 goals and 35 assists), and finished eighth in the national scoring race. He captured a number of awards during the season, including being named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Rookie of the Week four times, and WCHA Offensive Player of the Week once. After the season, he was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, the only freshman nominated that year as well as the first-ever UND freshman nominee. Parise was named UND's Male Rookie Athlete of the Year after the 2002–03 season. In addition to these honors, Parise was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team and the All-WCHA Third Team. Parise was also named the recipient of the Jeff Anderson Hockey Scholarship, given to the MVP as voted by his teammates.

After his freshman season, Parise was eligible for the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Heading into the Draft, he was ranked as the ninth-best North American skater by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. NHL teams had concerns about his size, but were impressed by his skill and work ethic. At the Draft, the New Jersey Devils traded to obtain the 17th overall pick from the Edmonton Oilers and used it to select Parise.

Parise returned to UND for his sophomore season after being drafted. Along with teammates Brandon Bochenski, Matt Smaby and Drew Stafford, Parise helped the University of North Dakota to the MacNaughton Cup as the WCHA Regular Season Champions. Parise was named a First Team All-American after the season. He was named as one of the ten nominees for the Hobey Baker Award, and was one of three finalists, losing out to eventual winner Junior Lessard. Parise was also named to the All-WCHA Academic Team, and the WCHA All-Tournament Team. After his sophomore season, Parise was named as the winner of the Cliff (Fido) Purpur Award, awarded by the coaching staff to the player who exemplifies "the characteristics of Purpur, a former UND coach, of hard work, determination and being a creator of excitement on the ice."

After his sophomore season at UND, Parise chose to forgo his final two years of NCAA eligibility to sign a professional contract with the New Jersey Devils. He signed an entry-level contract with the Devils on March 29, 2004. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Parise spent his first professional season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Albany River Rats. In his first professional season, Parise scored 18 goals and added 40 assists. He was chosen to play in the 2004–05 AHL All-Star Game.

Parise made his debut in the NHL at the start of the 2005–06 season. In his rookie year, Parise played in all but one game, totaling 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points. He became just the 12th player for the Devils to score a goal in his first NHL game. Parise scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal against the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals.

To open the following season, Parise set a franchise record for scoring the quickest season-opening goal, 26 seconds into the first game. For the season, he nearly doubled his scoring output of the previous season, totaling 62 points. Parise was chosen to play in the NHL YoungStars Game during the All-Star weekend, where he scored two goals and four assists and was named the game's MVP. Heading into the 2007–08 season, Parise and the Devils agreed to terms on a new, four-year contract on August 1, 2007. Parise led the Devils in scoring during the 2007–08 season with 65 points. On November 30, 2007, in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, Parise got his first NHL natural hat-trick.

On October 3, 2008, Parise was named an alternate captain for the Devils. He had a breakout season during his fourth year in the NHL, which saw the Devils increase their scoring output by nearly half a goal per game, breaking away from the team's image as a mostly defensive team. While playing in all 82 games, Parise scored 45 goals and added 49 assists for 94 points. Parise finished fifth overall in NHL scoring, and was third in goal scoring, behind only Alexander Ovechkin and Jeff Carter. During the season, Parise was selected to represent the Eastern Conference at the 2009 All-Star Game. After the season, Parise was chosen as one of three nominees for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most sportsmanlike player. He was also chosen to the NHL's Second All-Star Team, and named the Devils' team MVP.

During the 2009–10 season, Parise played in 81 games for the Devils, finishing with 38 goals and 44 assists. Parise struggled at times, going 12 games without scoring at one point before recording two goals against the Atlanta Thrashers on December 28, 2009. During the playoffs, Parise and the Devils were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarter-finals by the Philadelphia Flyers in five games. Parise scored one goal and added three assists in the five playoff games. At the end of the season, he was selected as the Devils' team MVP for the second year in a row.

In November of the 2010–11 season, Parise tore the meniscus in his right knee, underwent surgery and was deemed to be likely out for the remainder of the season. On March 2, 2011, Parise was cleared to start skating and returned to play on April 2, the same night the Devils were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

On July 29, 2011, Parise signed a one-year contract worth $6 million with the Devils. On October 5, 2011, the Devils named him captain. Parise became the second captain in Devils history (the other being Scott Stevens) to lead them to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Devils were down 0–3 in the series before finally losing in six games at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings.

On July 4, 2012, Parise left the Devils' organization to sign with his hometown Minnesota Wild. Parise noted that his parents played a role in him signing with the Wild, stating "When I made the decision they were real excited as well. That played a big part. I grew up here, I love coming back here in the summers and I thought 'We enjoy it here so much it would be great to be here year round.'" Parise's father, J.P., once captained the Minnesota North Stars. The Wild signed Parise, as well as fellow free agent Ryan Suter, to identical 13-year, $98 million contracts. Parise chose to wear No. 11, the same number his father wore as a North Star; Parise's No. 9 he wore with the Devils was already worn by team captain Mikko Koivu. On July 9, both Parise and Suter were named alternate captains.

Parise scored 18 goals along with 20 assists during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season. The Wild qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in five years as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The team lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in five games in the opening round; Parise scored one goal during the series.

On March 20, 2014, Parise returned to the Prudential Center for the first time since leaving the Devils during the 2012 off-season. Parise was booed every time he skated with the puck, especially when his name was announced for a goal. The Wild ended up losing the game 4–3 in overtime.

On November 6, 2014, it was announced that Parise was out "indefinitely" due to a concussion he suffered two days earlier during a 4–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Five games later, on November 16, he returned to the Wild lineup. He finished the season with 62 points.

The 2015–16 season brought a host of struggles for Parise, who struggled through a sprained MCL at the beginning of the season, before injuring his back near the end of the season. In a game against the San Jose Sharks, Parise sustained a hit from Logan Couture that further aggravated the injury, taking him out for the rest of the season and the Wild's short playoff run. Even with the injuries, Parise led the team in goals and was second in points. He also led the NHL with a total of three hat tricks on the season.

On October 23, 2016, Parise scored 2 goals to earn his 300th goal in his career, in a loss against the New York Islanders.

Parise played his 1,000th career NHL game on February 7, 2020, in an away game against the Dallas Stars. On February 24, 2021, Parise scored his 800th NHL point in the Wild's 6–2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

On July 13, 2021, the Wild bought out the remaining four years of Parise's contract.

On September 10, 2021, Parise signed with the New York Islanders. On March 21, 2022, he signed a one-year contract extension with the team.

Career statistics

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