Zach Parise’s already difficult season took another turn on Wednesday as the Wild placed the veteran on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol-related absence list.
Parise, 36, has only three goals and nine assists in 29 games this season and was made a healthy scratch this month for the first time in his career (nine-plus seasons) with the Wild after he overextended a shift on which Minnesota gave up the tying goal in an overtime loss to Vegas. Parise has no points and is a minus-2 in the past four games but played one of his better games of the season on Monday night in a win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Wild played host to the Ducks on Wednesday afternoon.
The Wild, who had five games postponed this season after a COVID-19 outbreak that sidelined several players, entered Wednesday already missing winger Marcus Foligno and defenseman Matt Dumba because of injuries.
The Ducks placed four players on the COVID-19 protocol list (Danton Heinen, Ben Hutton, Jacob Larsson and Anthony Stolarz) and cancelled practice for health and safety reasons on Tuesday.
The #mnwild today recalled F Joseph Cramarossa from the taxi squad under emergency conditions and announced F Zach Parise has been placed on the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absence List.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) March 24, 2021