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Zach Parise Returns to New Jersey Keep It Classy

March 20, 2014, 6:52 PM ET [30 Comments]
Tony Dean
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
WildHBcommunity: Zach Parise Return to New Jersey Keep It Classy




The Minnesota Wild Completes Three Game Road Trip Tonight in New Jersey


The Minnesota Wild 36 - 23 - 10 (82 points) will take the ice this evening versus the New Jersey Devils 29 - 27 - 13 (71 points) with an extremely important 2 points on the line but the focal point of this evening will be the highly anticipated return of Zach Parise to the Prudential Center.
Tonight’s response to Parise by the Devils fans will be highly analyzed and scrutinized but the truth of the matter is even if the boo him or react harshly it doesn’t change how much he meant to the franchise and how much his time as a Devil has meant to him.

A person would be hard pressed to find a superstar in sports more accountable to his team mates and more genuine in his will to win. Parise is just about the best example of someone having everything a person could ask for in life while conducting himself with class and dignity in every situation.

I realize though despite what I believe is a universal admiration and appreciation for Parise as a human being and hockey player, there will surely be scorned Devils fans in the building tonight ready and willing to express their displeasure with Parise for his decision to leave New Jersey to sign a mega-millions lifetime contract with the Wild in July of 2012.

Ultimately it is complex and very simple to feel a certain way about players that leave your favorite team whether it be of their own choosing or out of their hands. The simple thing is Devils fans lived and died with Parise from his NHL debut until his departure so his choice to leave is a violation of their loyalty so they will let him know how they feel by booing him. The complex portion is understanding the business side of Parise leaving and understanding that he may never have given free agency a second thought had the Devils front office handled his contract situation and business in general differently.

I am not without my flaws as an educated fan, I can be unreasonable and overly emotional in generating a take or conducting myself on Twitter or in the arena. Nobody has to invest much time to know my feelings and assessment of Dany Heatley in the twilight of his Wild career. I savagely boo Marian Gaborik each time he graces the ice at the Xcel when I am in the building. I also still love and root for Brent Burns just as much as I did when he donned the Wild sweater.

I have no doubt no matter how the Devils faithful react this evening to Parise, it will not lessen his stature as one of the franchises very best to ever suit up in the red sweater. Parise loves the Devils fans and I am sure he realizes that they deserve to let him hear about how he disappointed them by leaving for the Wild. I just hope with how emotional this contest is sure to be this evening, they also take some time to show him some love as well.

Anyone Else Crazy Impressed With Line Shuffling Before Islanders Game


What a stroke of genius to shuffle the lines before a matchup with the New York Islanders by Wild head coach Mike Yeo. This was just another example of smoke and mirrors by the Wild bench boss. The same indictment of Yeo that has played out over the past 2 ½ seasons continues to be relevant. Avoidance is just as great and offence in my mind by a leader as making a wrong decision. Yeo celebrated Justin Fontaine’s performance versus the Islanders as if keeping him out of the lineup for 5 games was somehow helpful or productive to Fontaine or the team. Then to build on the idea he attempted to tie in his decision to make Erik Haula a healthy scratch to how Fontaine had responded and perform after returning to lineup.

Taking Fontaine and Haula out of the lineup while players such as Heatley, McCormick, Kyle Brodziak, and dare I say it Mikko Koivu are underachieving in their current role and overall performance is the exact opposite of accountability. Lots of Minnesota Apologist Fans have decided that under no circumstances should Koivu have to perform to justify his role. I have the utmost respect for Kaptain Koivu and I believe that he will never fully get credit for how important he is/has been for the Wild but he should be centering the 3rd line with Charlie Coyle and Justin Fontaine as his wings right now.

That would mean Kyle Brodziak and Matt Cooke playing on the 4th line where I have contended they have belonged since the very beginning of this season. It will also mean the Erik Haula would have to be empowered by Yeo to center Matthew Moulson and Niedrreiter. Koivu could still play power play and penalty kill and have his lineup matchup against opponents top line. Heatley would play 4th line or be scratched for McCormick or whoever else. Haula's speed and ability to carry the puck would spark more offensive zone possession for the 2nd line. I believ it to be very realistic.





Here is tonight's lines:

Parise-Granlund-Pominville
Moulson-Koivu-Fontaine
Niederreiter-Coyle-Heatley
Cooke-Brodziak-McCormick

Suter-Spurgeon
Scandella-Brodin
Prosser-Stoner

Bryzgalov

Just My Take,
Tony Dean

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