Zach Parise reportedly drawing interest from several NHL teams
After sitting out for the first one-third of the 2023 NHL season, Zach Parise has interest from multiple teams as he begins working toward a return to the ice, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic.
The 39-year-old winger hasn’t played since April 28 when he was with the New York Islanders. Though he didn’t officially retire during the offseason, it wasn’t known when, or if, he was interested in skating for a 19th season.
For Parise to be eligible to play in the postseason, he needs to sign a contract before the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8.
The Islanders are believed to be open to bringing back Parise, who scored 21 goals and 34 points in 82 games for them last season, should he be interested in a reunion. The team is 14-7-7 with 35 points and sits just four points behind the New York Rangers for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
But Parise, who’s scored 429 goals and 879 points in 1,224 career games and is a six-time 30-goals scorer with seven seasons of 60 or more points, has other options available beyond just New York.
“Included among the organizations currently showing an interest in Parise are multiple NHL teams with legitimate championship ambitions in 2023-24,” Johnston wrote. “Which means he’ll have an important decision to make if and when he reaches the point where he’s ready to officially resume his career.”
Parise was cut from the Minnesota Wild in 2021, nine seasons into a 13-year, $98 million contract. He signed with the Islanders that offseason and didn’t miss a single game during his two-year run with them.
Parise is likely hoping to follow in the footsteps of Patrick Kane, a 35-year-old forward who sat out the first 24 games of the year before signing with the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 28.
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