Zach Parise Takes the #IceBucketChallenge

The #IceBucketChallenge has been flooding your Twitter feed the last few days if you follow anything hockey related at all. Today, Wild forward Zach Parise accepted the challenge from fellow Wild forward Stephane Veileux and Penguins defenseman Paul Martin. Michael Russo posted a video of Parise’s challenge over at the Star Tribune website.

The challenge was started by former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, who suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The campaign raises awareness of ALS and raises money for research. If you’re challenged you have 24 hours to pour a bucket of ice water over your head, donate $100 to ALS research, and challenge three other people. Donations have been pouring into the ALS Foundation.

So far the challenge has raised $160,000 over the course of ten days leading up to last Thursday (that total doesn’t include this weekend). That’s up significantly from the $14,480 the foundation raised last year over the same time frame. So, it’s a little silly, but it’s raising a good deal of money for research.

Parise was a part of Martin and Veilleux’s group of three. He passed the challenge on to Travis Zajac, Justin Faulk, and Kyle Okposo. Watch the video below.

And here’s Martin’s video:

UPDATE: 08/10/14 9:22pm CST

Here’s Stephane Veilleux’s video courtesy of Michael Russo’s YouTube channel. He was challenged by Iowa Wild coach Kurt Kleinendorst and he challenged Keith Ballard, so there may be another update to come at some point.

UPDATE: 08/10/14 9:55pm CST

…and here’s Keith Ballard pouring a bucket of ice water over himself. He challenged Thomas Vanek, Mike Rupp, and Michael Russo.

UPDATE: 08/11/14 2:31pm CST

And here’s Wild beat writer Michael Russo taking the challenge issued from Ballard and challenging Wild radio host Kevin Falness and Wild captain Mikko Koivu.

UPDATE: 08/11/14 4:53pm

Jonathon Blum, who was challenged by Tyler Graovac, posted a video and challenged Scott Valentine and Kyle Medvec.

Also, Paul Bissonnette (who the Wild are rumored to be interested in) posted this crazy picture.

UPDATE 08/12/14 10:34am

Paul Bissonnette posted his video, which takes the whole thing beyond the iPhone videos (held the annoying way) by most of the people we’ve seen. Watch it below as Bissonnette encourages you to “not be stuck on the bench like Bissonnette.”

UPDATE 08/12/13 7:26pm

Mikko Koivu, who challenges Ryan Suter and Kyle Brodziak.

Mike Yeo, who challenges Wild TV crew Mike Greenlay, Anthony LaPanta, and Kevin Gorg.

…and the Iowa Wild mascot Crash

UPDATE 08/13/14 9:37am

Charlie Coyle did it and he called out Jason Zucker.

Minnesota Wild radio host Kevin Falness did it and so did FSN play-by-play announced Anthony LaPanta (though you have to

go here

to see his).

Also, the ALS foundation has updated their two week donation total to $5.7M. According to Darren Rovell it was $1.7M yesterday alone.

UPDATE 08/13/14 1:00pm

Mike Greenlay.

UPDATE 08/13/14 9:05pm

Jason Zucker’s is pretty great.

Josh Harding

Former Wild captain Wes Walz.

Wild beat writer Chad Graff’s triple bucket dump can be viewed here.

Kyle Brodziak.

Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne.

Minnesota Wild mascot Nordy.

UPDATE 08/15/14 4:29pm

Jason Pominville

Dany Heatley (forever in our hearts)

Jared Spurgeon

Jared Spurgeon accepts Cooke’s challenge. Watch his #ALSIceBucketChallenge to see who he nominates from Minnesota Wild on Vimeo.

Matt Cooke

Cooke takes the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Minnesota Wild on Vimeo.

Ryan Suter (and that signature dry wit)

Bob Kurtz

UPDATE 08/17/14 9:14pm

Erik Haula

GM Chuck Fletcher and Assistant GM Brent Flahr

GM Chuck Fletcher & Asst GM Brent Flahr — ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Minnesota Wild on Vimeo.

Iowa Wild GM Jim Mill

Iowa Wild GM Jim Mill — ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from Minnesota Wild on Vimeo.