The wait is over: Zach Parise will make return to Wild lineup on Tuesday
Channel: COCKTAILS VIDEOS
Date: 2018-01-02

Zach Parise said Monday he has been given “the green light” to make his season debut in the Wild’s game against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center.

The veteran winger was limited in training camp as he attempted to rest a back injury that had caused him to miss the 2016 playoffs. When that did not help, Parise elected to undergo  microdiscectomy surgery in late October to repair a herniated disk and  alleviate the corresponding pain and weakness.

“I’m really excited, I’ve been looking forward to this for a while,” said Parise, who had 19 goals and 42 points in 69 games last season. “It’s been a lot of work, but I’m glad to get a chance to play tomorrow.”

Parise is in the sixth season of a 13-year, $98-million free-agent contract he signed in July 2012. Parise has the ability to give the Wild a boost, if he is effective in his return. Minnesota, which was shutout 3-0 on Saturday in Nashville, has 43 points in 39 games and is one point behind Anaheim for the second and last wild card spot in the Western Conference.

Parise reportedly was paired with center Charlie Coyle and winger Chris Stewart on the Wild’s third line at Monday’s practice.

Parise’s return comes less than a week after he played in an American League Hockey game with Iowa to give his back a test. “(That) was really good for me and conditioning wise I felt really good today,” he said. “There was a lot of skating in the practice, so I feel ready.”

Despite the fact the 33-year-old Parise is about to begin his 13th season and is known for his willingness to grind things out in the corners and in front of the net, he said he was never concerned that his career might be in jeopardy.

“I was never worried that I wouldn’t be playing again,” Parise said. “I was very comfortable that I would be playing again and playing again this year. From the people I had spoken with that had had the surgery as well, guys that had played, I was comfortable and confident that everything was going to be fine.”
Minnesota Wild star forward Zach Parise, who underwent back surgery in late October, will make his season debut Tuesday, the team announced Monday.

Parise was recalled from AHL Iowa on Friday, the morning after he was on the ice for the first time in exactly 250 days.

"I’m glad it’s finally here," Parise said in a tweet by the Wild. "I’m glad I get a chance to play (Tuesday) … got the green light.”The Wild host the Florida Panthers at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday.

“It’s his first game, it’s going to be interesting to see what happens," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It’s going to take some time for him to get to full speed.”

Parise was on the ice for more than 15 minutes Thursday for the Iowa Wild, getting an assist in a loss to the Rockford Icedogs, perhaps the best news being that the $98 million man made it through the entire game without a hiccup.

It was his first game action since April 22, when Minnesota's 2016-17 season ended.

In 12 NHL seasons, the past five with the Wild, Parise has 318 goals and 343 assists for 661 points with 330 penalty minutes and a plus-minus of plus-84