Parise was joint top scorer for the US when they took silver at the Vancouver Games in 2010, with four goals and four assists earning him a spot on the Vancouver All-Star team.

The 29-year-old has been an alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild since his move from the New Jersey Devils in 2012.

He was named captain for the Devils in his final season and became only the second captain to lead the side to the Stanley Cup finals.

Zach Parise has been alternate captain for Minnesota Wild since his move from the New Jersey Devils in 2012 ©Getty Images



Parise is the son of famous Canadian hockey player J.P. Parise, a member of the fabled Canadian team that faced off against the mighty Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series, celebrated as the most important moment in the nation's sporting history.

Parise will be hoping to lead his US team to their first Olympic gold medal since the famous 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team beat the Soviet Union at Lake Placid.

The team has finished runners-up in two of the last three Games, having lost to Canada in the final in both 2002 and 2010.

Parise scored a last-minute goal in 2010 to force the gold medal match against Canada into overtime, before Sidney Crosby socred the "golden" goal to seal victory for the hosts.

Parise's teammate at Minnesota Wild, defenseman Ryan Suter, and Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown, have been named alternate captains for the US team.

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