Minnesota Wild: Parise’s 300th Is a Truly Minnesotan Accomplishment

Zach Parise might have taken five games to get there but Sunday in Brooklyn he finally scored his 300th NHL goal. What makes it so much more special is that he’s playing for Minnesota’s NHL franchise as he takes his place among the very best ever in Minnesota hockey history.

Zach Parise has two every big gorillas off his back now after Sunday night’s game in Brooklyn. The Minnesota Wild leading goal scorer in the last two seasons had been shutout of his first five tilts not registering a goal scored yet this season. But he finally got one into the Islander net early in the second period to give the Wild a 1-0 lead that quickly evaporated as the Isles bested the Wild 6-3.

Perhaps even more important than that goal being Parise’s first of this young 2016-17 campaign was that it was Zach’s 300th career NHL goal. That’s an amazing milestone considering he is still got a lot more games in him, and he joins an elite Minnesota club. Oddly enough he also becomes the fifth player chosen in the 2003 draft to make the 300 goal mark.

#MNWild Zach Parise becomes the 5th player from the 2003 draft class to score 300 career goals.
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) October 24, 2016

Parise’s 300th goal puts him alongside 1980 Olympic vet Dave Christian and Hockey Hall of Fame member Phil Housley as the only Minnesotans who have tallied 300 or more NHL goals. That’s elite Minnesota and NHL company for Parise who continues his march up the record books on his way to being possibly the best Minnesota -born NHL player in history.

Sure there have been lots of great players from Minnesota who have skated to great careers in the NHL, but with Parise it’s getting to another level than those who have come before him.

Jan 31; Newark, NJ, USA; New Jersey Devils left wing Zach Parise (9) celebrates his goal during the second period of their game against the New York Rangers at the Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

Housley is enshrined in Toronto alongside fellow Minnesotans Frank Brimsek and White Bear’s own Moose Goheen. And while Christian had a solid career in the NHL he was never near acceptance to the hall. Parise has a chance to get there with his individual numbers still trending up, his Olympic Silver Medal, and Stanley Cup Final appearance with New Jersey he already makes a strong case. If he ever does bring the cup to Minnesota with the Wild, that could cement him in the hall for sure.

The idea that he’s tallying this milestone goal with the hometown Wild is great. Ever since the Wild started life as a franchise in 2000, fans have begged and pleaded to have a hometown hero signed to play who could lead this team. To see a player from Minnesota who plays for Minnesota be one of the best all time in the NHL, it’s a story that anyone can get behind.

What’s more is that Parise plays the game like most Minnesotans approach life…keep your head down, work hard, don’t complain, don’t brag, and good things will happen. It something we all want to see in players who represent us and Zach does it.