Zach Parise Butting Heads With Minnesota Wild Head Coach Dean Evason

The Minnesota Wild named Jared Spurgeon team captain just prior to the beginning of the season. They did not name Ryan Suter or Zach Parise; this foreshadowed the management - player relationship we could expect to see this season. Now, Parise and Evason are publicly butting heads.

There have not been any leaks, but one could imagine Parise's disappointment after being passed over for the "C". Instead, he was listed as a healthy scratch against the Vegas Golden Knights, where the Wild suffered an embarrassing loss. Parise was not thrilled about being scratched and made public comments about it.

I don't agree with the decision.

In my heart, I felt like I was doing the right thing. I asked Marcus after the second if he ever had a hat-trick. He had two goals up to that point. He said "no". I said "lets get you one." And then when they pulled the goalie, we were on the bench. "And I said to him, 'if I get the puck, get up the ice with me, I'm not going to shoot, I'm going to find you.'"

We were out there for a bit. And Marcus had a little break. And I made the decision to try to join him to help him. They ended up getting the puck. And I saw Foligno change on the back check. I didn't think it was a good idea for me to change, too. So I stayed out there. And unfortunately, it was, I guess, the ultimate backfire that they ended up tying the game.

But I know in my heart I had the best of intentions to help Marcus try to get the hat-trick, and unfortunately it ended the way it did. And, here we are. But after our meeting, I talked to the team about it. And they were 100% behind me and have my back. And thats what matters.

It seems somewhat unfair to criticize Parise for his decisions or blame him for the tying goal. Changing on the back check should only be done sparingly, therefore Parise seems more than justified by not going to the bench and putting his team at a temporary disadvantage. Additionally, Parise was being a leader and an awesome teammate by trying to help Foligno score a hat-trick. Perhaps it was too forward looking when the priority should be a win, but special moments like this are few and far between in the NHL. There may be room to point fingers or criticize Parise, but it seems wildly unfair. Deference should be given to his knowledge and experience. It was an unfortunate situation but it was not the result of an indiscretion on behalf of Parise. How long will he be in the coach's doghouse?

Zach Parise to be healthy scratch for 1st time with Wild. https://t.co/XLKQ4kSNYP pic.twitter.com/0RXfyyzndL
— theScore (@theScore) March 3, 2021

Zach Parise explains his being a healthy scratch tonight after staying on the ice Monday night in the 3rd period and the turnover that led to the game-tying goal. He was trying to get Marcus Foligno a hat trick.

“I felt like I was doing the right thing.” #mnwild @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/LrplqIbsQ5
— Jeff Wald (@JeffWaldFox9) March 3, 2021