Minnesota Wild: Parise Struggles to Notch First Goal

The first line of the Minnesota Wild has been their top line in both name and performance this season. One glaring deficiency seems to stand out though and that is the fact that through four games Zach Parise has not recorded a goal yet.

More from Gone Puck Wild

Undeniably the first line of the Minnesota Wild has been their best so far during this young season. Eric Staal has netted three goals in four games, and Charlie Coyle has four points in four games (2 goals and 2 assists). Zach Parise is doing his part as well on the line with three assists in the four games. Still for that strong three assist performance to start the season, the State of Hockey seems to be asking “Where’s the goals?”

It’s a fair question. After all Parise has been the Wild’s leading goal scorer for the last two seasons. He’s a player that traditionally gets it going fast in the goal department. In 2014-15 he tallied two goals in the first four games, and last season he had an impressive five goals notched in the first four games to include that excellent hat trick in the opener against Colorado.

So why the slow down this season? That a hard thing to say. He’s playing with probably the best group he’s played with in years, but it’s seems to be having an effect on his ability to put the puck in the net. Not to mention Zach is at 299 goals on his career and would love to make it 300 sooner rather than later.

With Coyle and Staal flexing their scoring muscles, it just might be that there’s not a ton of opportunities to go around. That’s really not the case though. Looking at the shot attempts and shots on goal Parise is keeping up with Staal and is actually ahead of Coyle.

Oct 15, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) is announced prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Jets 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

Through the first four games Parise has attempted to shoot 19 times and landed 13 shots on net. Compare that to Staal who had 20 attempts and recorded 12 shots on net, as well as Coyle who had 13 attempts and put 9 on goal. The difference between Parise and his linemates is simply the amount of times those shots have seen the back of the net.

That makes you raise an eyebrow and ask why is he not having the same success in goal scoring as Coyle and Staal? He actually has the most shots on goal recorded, and it seems like he’s skating well.

Health could play a factor, but Parise has insisted for almost two months that his back feels great and is not an issue. I’d tend to agree and trust that assessment right now because he wouldn’t be able to put up these shot numbers or even keep up with Staal and Coyle to notch those three assists he has if his back was an issue.