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.
