Mark Parrish has a pleasant problem. As a native son returning this season to play for the Minnesota Wild, the 29-year-old Parrish has lots of family and friends in the metro area. Too many demands on his time could obviously be a distraction from the goal of helping the Wild go deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“It is kind of a catch 22 having all your friends and family here because it is just that many more possibilities for a distraction,” he said. “My friends and family have been great so far. They haven’t bothered me at all. …They have been really good realizing I have a job to do. This is my career. …They have been supportive and staying out of my hair and it’s been fantastic.”
What if eventually there are too many requests for Parrish’s time? He and wife Nicholle, his parents and in-laws have talked about that a lot. “They are going to be the bad guys for me, more or less, if it does come up,” Parrish said. “If it does come up it’s just something you have to be up front and honest and say, ‘hey, look, sorry I can’t do that’. …Just ask them to stop, I guess.”
With a pleasant personality and a Minnesota hockey legacy that includes playing on two state championship teams at Bloomington Jefferson, Parrish is often sought by the media or for promotional appearances such as signing autographs at grocery stores. Still, Parrish is relishing and enjoying the first opportunity in his NHL career (he’s played with three other teams) to live during the season in his real home, not an adopted residence.
Being in a home environment can lessen distractions, Parrish said, and that comfort level can affect a player’s confidence and on-ice performance. “I feel every player should get a chance to play in their home town at least once because it is pretty amazing,” said Parrish who lives in Plymouth.