Mark Parrish, the former Bloomington Jefferson and St. Cloud State star and 12-year NHLer, has been named head coach of the Orono boys’ hockey team. 

Parrish began helping with the team toward the end of last season. “A few weeks after the season ended, I missed it and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be involved with the team again,” he explained in a post on the Orono school’s website.

Orono Athletic Director Bucky Mieras said Parrish “brings extraordinary playing experiences with him and I believe he has the personality to translate those experiences into a coaching career. I was happy to see the high level of excitement he had about the opening.”

Parrish has played for seven professional teams from 1998 to 2011, including three years with the Minnesota Wild (2006-2008). In 2002, as a player for the New York Islanders, he was selected to play in the All-Star Game.

He played in the World Junior Championships for two years, including the 1997 team which was a silver medalist, and the World Championships for three years. He was named one of the top three players in the 2005 championship in Innsbruck, Austria.

Parrish is running the team’s summer training program, which Mieras said will give him a “great opportunity to get to know the kids and prepare them for the season.”

Click here to read the full announcement.