Richard Park Hired As Player Development Coach

On Tuesday Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher announced the hiring of former Wild forward Richard Park as a Player Development Coach. According to the press release, Park’s “primary responsibilities will include working with and assisting in the development of players with the Iowa Wild.” Park will begin working with the team this week.

Park was a member of the 2002-03 Wild team that made a deep run in the playoffs, famously (for Wild fans) beating the Avalanche in overtime in Game 7 on an Andrew Brunette goal that was the final goal Patrick Roy allowed in his career. The team ultimately lost in the Conference Finals to Anaheim.

Park played a big part in that 2003 quarterfinal match against the Avalanche. He potted the first goal in Game 6 and then scored the overtime winner int he 2-1 that set the stage for Andrew Brunette’s oft-replayed goal. Watch Park’s two tallies in Game 6:

Here’s the Wild’s breakdown of Park’s career per the team’s release:

"Park, 38 (5/27/76), recorded 241 points (102-139=241) and 266 penalty minutes (PIM) in 738 career NHL games during 14 seasons with Pittsburgh, Anaheim, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Vancouver and the New York Islanders. The forward skated in 40 career NHL playoff games, including 18 with the Wild in 2002-03 when the team advanced to the Western Conference Finals. The native of Seoul, South Korea, tallied 74 points (37-37=74) in 217 games during three seasons with Minnesota (2001-04).Park retired as a player after spending the last two seasons playing for Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland (2012-14). He was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the second round (50th overall) in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft."

The Wild are getting the band back together with the addition of Park. They now employ five players from that 2002-03 team. Brunette has joined Darby Hendrickson as two of the team’s four assistant coaches, Brad Bombardir is Director of Player Development, and Wes Walz works for the team as a Studio Analyst. That creates a nice narrative if the Wild can find their way into a deep run again this season.