Zach Parise of the Minnesota Wild has been named the captain of the U.S. men's hockey team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Parise plays left wing for the Wild.
Parise, 29, was an alternate captain for the U.S. team in 2010 when the Olympics were held in Vancouver, according to NYDailyNews. He was the alternate to 2010 team captain Jamie Langenbrunner.
Upon being named captain, Parise said "it's a special thing to be named captain of any team, but when it's a national and an Olympic team, it's extra special."
Center Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings and defenseman Ryan Suter of the Wild were named alternate captains for the 2014 team.
According to USAToday, Parise has had the best two-game span of his career. In this span, he has had seven points on three goals and four assists against the Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche.
Parise has spent most of his career with the New Jersey Devils, starting in the 2005-06 season before he joined the Wild in the 2012 season. His best season came in 2008 when he scored 94 points on 45 goals and 49 assists.
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