Mark Parrish returns to KFAN after months away: 'Had to take care of my head a little bit'

Fans of KFAN's Power Trip Morning Show were greeted on Friday morning with the return of former Minnesota Wild winger Mark Parrish, marking his first appearance on the show after a few months away.

"What's new?" asked morning show host Chris Hawkey.

"Oh, you know. Not a lot," Parrish said. "I just had to go take care of my head a little bit."

Parrish, 49, revealed that he was in Malibu, California, receiving care for traumatic brain injuries and pain management in the wake of his 12-year career in the National Hockey League, where the Bloomington native played two seasons for the Wild, along with stints with the Panthers, Islanders, Kings, Stars, Lightning, and Sabres.

"I had a little bit of a rough year/second half of last year, and I wasn't in the best place mentally. Had to go get some work done," Parrish explained, making sure to point out that his sobriety from alcohol addiction is intact as he nears his sixth anniversary.

"I had some trauma. I took a lot of head hits. Anybody who watched me play knows I took way too many head shots. Got in front of the net with Scott Stevens way too many times. I had some trauma that I had to deal with," Parrish said.

"It got to me. It got to a point last year, actually, I shouldn't say last year, the beginning of this year, where my wife and I realized that something had to be done about it. So I went out to California to a traumatic brain injury specialist and a pain recovery program because I'm in a lot of pain as well, and things were great. I spent about two and a half months out there getting better, mentally and physically stronger, and I feel awesome."