Oilers Matt Hendricks boards Wild's Nate Prosser

Someone tell my why Oilers forward Matt Hendricks isn't given a penalty on this play? Hendricks clearly hits Wild defenseman Nate Prosser from behind in the numbers.

Minnesota Wild: Jamie McGinn hit on Nate Prosser and then John Mitchell scores a weak goal

Big hit by the Av's Jamie McGinn on Wild defenseman Nate Prosser. To add injury to insult, the Avalanche forward John Mitchell scores a weak goal on Minnesota Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Zach Parise is coming home - Wild sign Suter and Parise

Getty Images

Here is the press release from KARE 11 out of the Twin Cities. While I don’t like to use profanity on the blog, I do think a loud boisterous F-BOMB yeah might be in order for this big signing by the Minnesota Wild. This is definitely a coup d'état for the Minnesota Wild.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota Wild appear to be making a splash in the free agent waters.

ESPN's Pierre LeBrun tweeted "Zach Parise has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Wild."

Parise was seen as the top free agent in this summer's NHL class. The 27-year-old forward scored 31 goals and added 38 assists last season for the New Jersey Devils.

A source told LeBrun Parise's deal is worth $98 million over 13 years.

LeBrun also tweeted the Suter signing.

Suter, a native of Madison, Wis., spent seven seaons with the Nashville Predators. Last season, Suter posted a career high in points with 46 (7 goals, 39 assists) in 79 regular season games.

Earlier in the year, I said, "I think that Zach Parise would sign with the Minnesota Wild." I was told by various fans that there was no way that Parise would sign with the Wild. Yeah! Looks like the nay sayers, Debbie Downers, Negative Nellies or whatever you want to call them, were flat out dead wrong this time. Vindication, maybe. It's really not a mystery, that Parise owns a house in Orno, Minnesota so now Zach can sleep in his bed at night when the Minnesota Wild are playing at home.

I said on twitter last night, that the Wild now have more former Badgers (Ryan Suter, Tom Gilbert, Jake Dowell and Dany Heatly) and Sioux (Chay Genoway and Zach Parise) than ex-Gophers on the Minnesota Wild.

The Minnesota Wild just a few short years ago under Doug Risebrough, didn't have many college hockey players now have a good mix on their roster, add to the Badgers and ex-Sioux players that I have already mentioned, you have Jason Zucker Denver University, Nate Prosser and Chad Rau Colorado College, Stephen Kampfer Michigan, Jarold Palmer Miami University (Ohio) and Matt Cullen Saint Cloud State University.

Links to the Story

NHL Free Agency 2012: Minnesota Wild Sign Zach Parise and Ryan Suter [Hockey Wilderness]

Wild Fireworks on the Fourth of July [Russo's Rants]

Report: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter Each Sign 13-Year Deal With Minnesota Wild [NESN.COM]

Wild agree to terms with free agents Suter and Parise [TSN.COM]

Free agents Suter and Parise choose Wild [Flyers Insider]

Minnesota Wild getting both Parise, Suter [Pioneer Press]

Zach Parise, Ryan Suter to Wild [ESPN.COM]

Speaking of Dirty Hits.... (RW77)

All the talk about hits to the head and from behind has been discussed at length but how about this odd one...

Minnesota Wild bubble player Nate Prosser, a former player with Colorado College, got into a scrum around the Minnesota net with Chicago journeyman Jamal Mayers.... and headbutted him.

WTF?

Here is the link to the story which includes the incident in question (it is at the 1 minute mark or thereabouts).

What a stupid stupid stupid thing for Prosser to do. I mean, right now the Wild is in "see what we've got" mode for future moves, cuts, extensions, and whatever. Prosser was an undrafted free agent. The Wild have very little invested in him. This act won't necessarily end his career with the Wild (or any NHL franchise) but it won't endear him to his teammates and team management either.

He will no doubt face suspension for it but the question is: How many games?

I predict 2 games. Prosser has no NHL history of any negative manner administratively speaking (in other words, he's a first time offender). UPDATE: Turns out he was suspended 1 game. However, to reiterate what I said before:

WTF?

I know those who know me or have read what I've written in the past know that I'm no fan of the Minnesota Wild, but I've never known them to resort to this crap. They've always been a well disciplined team, to my knowledge. I can't even recall off the top of my head the last time a Wild player was suspended.

I'd love to know what he has to say... truthfully. However, with the media like it is and his agent and advisors in his ear, we'll never know what was really going on in his head.