Zach Parise Signs With Avalanche

Zach Parise to the Avs?

MONTREAL — The New York Islanders have been without Zach Parise since last season’s playoffs. Following their Game 6 elimination at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, Parise said he would take time to evaluate his future in the NHL. The forward did not attend training camp, but with the All-Star Game approaching, a hint regarding a possible return dropped on Tuesday.

Talk North, a Minnesota sports podcast featuring The Athletic’s Michael Russo, said Parise will likely sign in the coming days, possibly with the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche are a perennial Stanley Cup favorite, and that’s the one accolade that’s eluded him in a potential Hall of Fame career.

The longstanding expectation was that Parise will either re-sign with the Islanders or retire, so a move to Colorado would be a change of heart. Regardless, Parise has a right to go for the long-anticipated championship at this stage in his career. The 39 year old boasts 429 goals and 450 assists, 879 points, and showed a strong work ethic with New York last season.

While updates on Parise have been minimal since the start of the season, the Islanders have left the door open for the forward. “I understand, appreciate and respect the decision where he’s at,” general manager Lou Lamoriello said at training camp. “I think that when you have a player like that, who loves the game and had the success he had and what he did for the team, it’s a tough thing for him to make that decision. You allow him to go as long as you possibly can without pressing or asking, and I think he made the right decision for his family. We’ll just keep the door open for him.”

It is unknown how far Parise and the Avalanche are in discussions, but it’ll be interesting to see if his “Islanders or nowhere” statement holds true.