Zach Parise spoke to the media after his first skate with the Avalanche.
Before the All-Star break, reports circulated about the status of former New York Islanders forward Zach Parise.
Ahead of training camp, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said Parise was considering his future and left the door open for his return, but Parise ultimately decided to sign with the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 26.
He took the ice wearing uniform number nine, the same digit he started his career in with the New Jersey Devils.
Per NHL.com reporter Ryan Boulding, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Parise will begin on Colorado’s second line with Ryan Johansen and Arturri Lehkonen, and Parise will also take a spot on Colorado’s penalty kill.
Boulding also reported that Colorado reached out to Parise a while back, and although he was close to retirement following the Islanders’ playoff loss, the want for a return came during training camp and was due to support from his wife.
During his first media availability, Parise said. “Knowing from September that I was going to take the time to get myself ready, it wasn’t really much of a waiting game. I knew this was going to be the timetable. Towards the end, it got a little boring just being by myself that long. You want to just jump in with the team. I’m fortunate to have been able to come here to play, and I’m looking forward to it." (H/t Boulding).
Prior to his decision, Parise had long said he was either re-signing with the Islanders or retiring, but the plans likely changed with the team’s performance.
New York is six points out of a playoff spot following the All-Star break and is working out the kinks of Patrick Roy’s new system after the Islanders relieved head coach Lane Lambert of his duties following a 0-3-1 road trip.
Under Roy, the Islanders have gone 1-2-1 but have looked better than they have all season long.
With the Stanley Cup the main achievement off his resume, Parise wants to cross that off before he hangs up the skates.
"Since day one, we all have that dream of chasing the cup, you know what I mean? And that's no different if you're 18 or you're 38 like I am," Parise said during Islanders’ locker cleanout.
"I mean, we're all chasing that thing. So that's always a draw."
Islanders All-Star Mathew Barzal said the players share some of the blame for why Parise will not be back.
"I'm sure that if we would have won 8 of the games that we probably could have this year, and we were 15-16 points, 10 points even ahead of where we're at today, I'm sure he'd been in blue and orange,” Barzal said.
Parise will make his Avalanche debut on Monday when they visit the New York Rangers.