Islanders Alumn Mark Parrish Celebrates Four Years Of Sobriety

Stick taps to Mark Parrish, who celebrated a significant milestone on Tuesday.

Overcoming addiction is one of the hardest things for someone to do. 

That's why acknowledging milestones, whether it's celebrating being sober for days, weeks, or months, is so incredibly important. 

On Tuesday, former New York Islanders forward Mark Parrish announced that he was four years sober.

The now 47-year-old, who played five years on Long Island (2000-2005), posted the fantastic accomplishment on X:

On June 30, 2008, Parrish's hometown Minnesota Wild bought out the final three years of his deal, sending him into a downward spiral.

For years, Parrish battled alcohol addiction, but everything came to the surface on March 10, 2020, while he was working as an analyst for NHL Network. 

The Athletic's Michael Russo wrote a tremendous piece about the moment when Parrish asked colleague, former NHL player, agent, and general manager Brian Lawton for help after an incident occurred at their hotel. 

“Lawts, I need help.” 

“Are you asking me for help?” 

"Yes, I’m telling you, Lawts … I need help.”

You can read the full story HERE, as Lawton, with a group, got Parrish out of a rather dark place. 

Parrish ended up going to rehab, eventually getting clean and turning his life around. 

It's an incredible story and one that should be celebrated, as Parrish is one of the many good guys in the industry. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with any kind of addiction, call or text the number 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org/. 

In 345 games with the Islanders, Parrish scored 118 goals with 96 assists for 214 points, donning an "A" for the 2005-06 season.