From Shattuck St. Mary to Stanley Cup Finalist: Minnesota’s Zach Parise Announces Retirement

(KNSI) — A Minnesota native who got to play for his hometown NHL team says he’s hanging up his skates.

Zach Parise played midget AAA hockey at Shattuck St. Mary in Faribault, where his father, J.P., also worked. SSM is a school known for churning out top notch talent. He played his college career at the University of North Dakota and led the NCAA in rookie scoring with 26 goals and 35 assists. He was named the school’s Male Rookie of the Year and named a Hobey Baker Award nominee in the 2002-2003 season – the only freshman that year and the first UND freshmen nominee ever.

Parise was taken 17th overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft and signed with the New Jersey Devils, making his start in the 2005-2006 season. He captained the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, where they lost to the L.A. Kings.

July 4th, 2012, it was announced he would join the Minnesota Wild alongside Ryan Suter, who signed an identical 13 year, $98 million deal. Wearing 11, the same number his father wore, Parise was the alternate captain of the Wild in their run to the Stanley Cup playoffs. While with the Wild, he hit two career milestones, playing in his 1,000th NHL game and scoring his 800th career point. However, it was not meant to be, as with four years remaining on his contract with the Wild, he was bought out and dealt to the New York Islanders, where he played for two seasons.

Late in January, Parise signed a one year deal with the Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche and will officially retire at the end of the season.

Parise comes from a hockey family, as his father played for and later coached the North Stars. His brother Jordan was a standout at North Dakota, where he left the school as the all-time leader in goals against average and played for the Devils alongside his little brother.

The 39-year-old is also a two time Olympian playing for Team USA in 2010, where he helped to land a silver medal at the games in Vancouver. He was named team captain for Sochi 2014.

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