The first big hometown signing in Wild history has called it a career.
According to the great Lets Play Hockey, Mark Parrish has decided to retire from professional hockey. The Bloomington native played 12 years in the NHL with 7 teams, including a two year stint in Minnesota. Before that he spent two years in St. Cloud State and won a pair of Minnesota state high school tournaments with Bloomington Jefferson as part of their mid-90s dynasty.
Unfortunately, Parrish’s Wild career is a good summary of the latter Risebrough/Lemaire years. Brought in as a five-year, $13.25 million major signing in 2006, he never meshed with the Lemaire system. Parrish ended up being bought out by Minnesota after only two years where injuries and doghouse stints took its toll and to this day still counts against the team’s cap.
On the plus side, a 2008 decision to buy Mark out only now costs slightly more in 2012 and 2013 ($927,778) than Zenon Konpoka ($925,000) and he gets paid.
The 35 year-old Parrish last played in the NHL with Buffalo in 2011 and spent last season with the Binghamton Senators in the AHL