One big reason why Zach Parise wanted to return home to Minnesota and sign a 13-year contract in the summer of 2012 was to build a family.

Well, one is on the way.

Parise's wife, Alisha, is pregnant with twins, the Wild forward said today.

There must be something in the water because last month, Twins hometown hero Joe Mauer became a father for the first time when his wife, Maddie, gave birth to twin girls.

Parise said Alisha is due in January. Parise said he and his wife have been told one of the babies is a boy, but the doctor couldn't tell yet the gender of the other baby.

Parise said he texted Mauer, they've been in contact and so have their wives. "They're helping us out with different things to get that have helped them," Parise said.

Parise and the rest of the U.S. National Team at Olympics orientation camp is heading to the Nationals-Marlins game tonight here in DC.

Incidentally, Wild captain Mikko Koivu's fiancee, Helena, is due with the couple's first child in October.