Now 33 years old, Parise is starting to look like his track record of injuries is catching up to him. While 19 goals and 42 points in 69 games is a reasonable degree of production, that represented an 11-point drop from the prior season, which had itself seen a nine-point drop from the year before. A six-time 30-goal scorer, Parise last reached that plateau in 2014-15, and it’s not likely that he ever will again. After all, we're talking about a guy who's missed time to injury consistently over the past four seasons, sitting out between eight and 15 games each year. He also saw the Wild cut his playing time to 17:26 per game when he was on the ice last season -- not the kind of workload we're used to seeing out of Parise. His reputation continues to precede him, so he’s sure to enjoy a top-six role in Minnesota, but his best days are clearly behind him. Parise’s speed, once one of his greatest assets, is no longer a strong suit, and he’s ceded the title of the Wild’s go-to scorer to Mikael Granlund. Is Parise still relevant? Yes. But he’s not a star anymore.
After missing the playoffs with a back injury last year, but ultimately avoiding surgery, Parise is expected to be ready for the World Cup and the 2016-17 campaign, looking to turn in his first full season since the lockout-shortened 2012-13. In addition to the back ailment, Parise suffered a knee injury that cost him most of November and killed his chances of hitting 60 points. That’s approximately the ceiling for the now 32-year-old winger – once a rising superstar, Parise’s been injured and aging just enough over the last few seasons to keep him out of the conversation about the league’s top wingers. That said, the Minneapolis native is under contract for nearly another decade with his hometown team still, and he’ll again serve in a top-line role this year; as long as he’s in the lineup, he’ll make fantasy owners happy.
Born and raised in Minnesota, Parise has been the biggest piece of offensive firepower on the Wild roster since his arrival ahead of the 2012-13 season. In his best offensive season for the Wild from a pure production standpoint, Parise scored a team-high 33 goals to go along with 29 assists. While his 62 points barely placed him among the NHL’s top-40 scorers, Parise's work with the man advantage was far more notable from a league-wide standpoint. On the man advantage, the winger tallied 11 goals and added five assists. His plus-21 rating also helped his cause while he logged more than 19 minutes of ice time per game. Still at the tail end of his prime, Parise should return more fantasy value than any of the team's other skaters in 2015-16.
Parise is a player who does it all. Through 67 games last season, he posted 29 goals, 27 assists, a plus-10 rating, 14 power-play goals (fourth-best in the league) and 245 shots (22nd) over an average ice time of 22:06 (17th). His possession ratings were fantastic, and his overall numbers should increase now that the team has improved its top six, meaning he’ll no longer need to carry the load alone. Parise will continue to see loads of power-play time, as he was on the ice for 63.8 percent of the team's power-play time in games he played last season. If health permits, Parise could be in store for an excellent season, making him a worthy consideration for the opening rounds of your draft.
Parise didn't miss a beat in his first season with the Wild, equaling his 0.8 career average in points per game. Parise was third in the NHL in shots on goal and tied for 15th in power play goals. He's as steady as they come -- he's missed at most one game each season except for 2010-11 when he suffered a knee injury. Now that he has one Wild year under his belt, it's possible that he could increase his output on offense if some of Minnesota's young talent on offense improves. Draft him as one of the top options on the left side.
Following a four-day media circus when free agency opened on July 1, this dynamic winger said goodbye to New Jersey and inked a massive, 13-year contract with his hometown Minnesota Wild. Parise’s numbers last season -- 31 goals, 38 assists and 69 points -- could have been stronger, especially considering he finally showed chemistry with Ilya Kovalchuk. He has many intangibles that undoubtedly factored into his new contract; unfortunately, leadership, work ethic and hockey sense do not translate into statistics. Parise heads to a team that has historically had difficulty scoring and he'll be expected carry the team’s attack. Don’t overpay for him on draft day, especially if your league uses the forward position opposed to specific positions. But 30 goals, 70 points and a truckload of shots are a solid bet for Parise.
Should the Devils or Parise start the season slowly, expect rumors of the dynamic winger’s departure to swirl around Newark, as Parise inked a one-year contract to avoid salary arbitration. The Devils have every intention of signing Parise to a long-term deal come January, so this saga should be entertaining. Regardless of contract issues, Parise’s presence will be a boon to the Devils, given that he posted 83 goals two seasons prior to playing in just 13 games last year due to a torn meniscus. He’s always one of the hardest workers on the ice and will be hungry to redeem himself. Power-play production and a strong plus-minus rating can be expected from Parise, who has averaged over four shots per game throughout the past two campaigns. He likely will fall from first-round status, but don’t wait too long for his services in the fantasy realm.
Parise posted another strong season to follow up his breakout 2008-09 campaign despite seeing a 12-point drop in his points total. A dynamic winger entering the prime of his career, few possess Parise's energy level and drive. Thirty-five goals and a point-per game pace is essentially a given along with an impressive plus-minus rating (plus-54 the last two seasons) as well as an average of four shots per game. He's a safe pick and will be well utilized by new coach John MacLean in the team's attack.
Few players in the league announced their presence on the NHL scene last season the way in which Parise did, posting 45 goals and 94 points. A dynamic winger capable of sniping as well as doing the dirty work, his tireless work rate puts him in position to score and affect the game. Parise has scored over 100 goals the past three seasons and is dangerous in any situation. He’s not of the class of Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby, but Parise is one of the league’s elite young players.
Zach Parise (LW): Few players in the league announced their presence on the NHL scene last season the way in which Parise did, posting 45 goals and 94 points. A dynamic winger capable of sniping as well as doing the dirty work, his tireless work rate puts him in position to score and affect the game. Parise has scored over 100 goals the past three seasons and is dangerous in any situation.
Parise's promising growth continued in 2007-08 as he bested his goals and points total from his breakout season in 2006-07. There's little reason to think the former University of North Dakota star will regress this year. He remains one of the brighter young prospects in the league and should again be over 30 goals.
A highly-touted prospect, Parise likely will make the team out of camp but his potential will likely outweigh his production this season. A gifted playmaker with a scoring touch, Parise is one of the top young prospects in the NHL. A wise selection in a keeper league this fall.
