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Parise says fans should stop booing the Wild power play

Dallas Stars v Minnesota Wild

ST. PAUL, MN - NOVEMBER 1: Zach Parise #11 of the Minnesota Wild waits for play to resume during a break in the game against the Dallas Stars on November 1, 2014 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

Zach Parise totally understands booing the Minnesota Wild’s power play.

Still, he also reminded fans about something in an interview with the Minneapolis Star-Tribune: such jeering isn’t improving anything.

“It doesn’t help,” Parise said.

” ... They’re frustrated, and I understand that. And they have a right to be frustrated. We’re frustrated, and then when we get booed, we get more frustrated, and then it snowballs.”

Parise, 30, showed a sense of humor regarding the struggling special teams unit, joking that they sometimes feel like booing themselves.

A quick look at the Wild power play

Power plays often ebb and flow, something the Star-Tribune points out. Even so, it’s tough not to be worried about a power play that has only produced seven goals and converted on nine percent of its chances, with only a Buffalo Sabres unit of potentially historic poorness* being less effective.

The more important question is: how much of this is based on bad luck?

To break that down, let’s consider chances more than results. (Stats via War on Ice).

The Wild have generated 133 shots for on the power play, tying them with the Islanders and Maple Leafs for seventh in the NHL. If you change the dynamics of the experiment a bit and look at averages (shots for per 60 minutes), they slip a bit to 14th (53.03 per 60). The point is that they seem to be producing a decent number of chances.

More bounces to come?

Sure, not all shots are created equal, yet the low shooting percentages of certain Wild forwards inspire visions of a better future. Thomas Vanek has only scored on 5.1 percent of his shots. Jason Pominville’s success rate is just 5.9 (and, unlike Vanek, he’s shooting as much as ever). Mikko Koivu’s been even less lucky with a 4.5 percentage.

Those are three key Wild forwards who should see more puck luck over the long haul, and Minnesota’s power play might reap the benefits.
***

Not that long ago, the word “regression” made Wild fans queasy. In the case of the 2014-15 team’s power play, it actually argues for better days, even if the unit only upgrades to merely average.

In other words, Wild fans should give Parise & Co. a break.

* Buffalo only has five power-play goals, good for a 6.8 percent success rate. The Sabres allowed three shorthanded goals, which means their PP’s a pathetic +2. Yikes.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins