Wild Olympians
UNITED STATES
Zach Parise • Left wing
Ht.: 5-11 • Wt.: 197 • Age: 29 • Born: Minneapolis
International experience: Second Olympics. Won a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics, scoring with 24.4 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in the final before Canada's Sidney Crosby scored the Golden Goal in overtime. Won gold at the '04 world junior championship, being named tournament MVP. Won gold at the '02 Under-18 championship. Has played in three world championships.
Comment: New Jersey's former captain, the former 45-goal, 94-point scorer is a heart and soul, hardworking, shoot-first player who scores most of his goals by crashing the net.
Ryan Suter • Defenseman
Ht.: 6-1 • Wt.: 200 • Age: 29 • Born: Madison, Wis.
International experience: Second Olympics. Has played the most games for USA Hockey out of any Olympian (64 games in 10 tournaments). Won a silver medal at the '10 Olympics, won gold at the '04 world junior championship, was captain at the '05 world junior championship and won gold at the '02 Under-18 and Under-17 championships. Won the 2002-03 Bob Johnson Award, given annually to the U.S. player who excels in international competition.
Comment: The Norris Trophy runner-up last season, Suter leads all Wild defensemen in scoring and the NHL in time on ice, averaging nearly 30 minutes a game.
FINLAND Mikko Koivu • Center
Ht.: 6-3 • Wt.: 222 • Age: 30 • Born: Turku, Finland
International experience: Third Olympics. Won bronze medal at '10 Olympics, silver medals at '06 Olympics, '04 World Cup of Hockey, '07 world championships and '01 world junior championship. Captained Finland to gold at '11 world championship. Won gold at '00 and '01 Under-18 championships.
Comment: Wild captain broke his ankle in early January but is expected to captain Finland in the Olympics. Two-way forward is on the verge of becoming the Wild's all-time leading scorer.
Mikael Granlund • Center/winger
Ht.: 5-10 • Wt.: 186 • Age: 21 • Born: Oulu, Finland
International experience: First Olympics. Won gold at the '11 world championship, scoring a lacrosse-style goal in the semifinals that turned him into a hero and was captured on a stamp. Has taken part in three world championships and three world junior championships, captaining Finland in 2012.
Comment: After a difficult rookie year in which he had a tough integration to the NHL, the skilled playmaker with impressive vision has had a solid season for the Wild, improving in every facet of the game.
SWITZERLAND Nino Niederreiter • Left wing
Ht.: 6-2 • Wt.: 209 • Age: 21 • Born: Chur, Switzerland
International experience: First Olympics. Won silver at the '13 world championship, one of three world championships in which he has participated. Has played in two world junior championships (captained one) and two Under-18 championships.
Comment: Acquired from the Islanders last summer, he has all the makings of being a goal scorer in the NHL. International highlight came in 2010 when he scored the tying goal with 33 seconds left and the winner with 14 seconds left in overtime in the quarterfinals against Russia.
MICHAEL RUSSO