It’s June 21st 2003, then Islanders GM Mike Milbury is headed up to the podium to make the Islanders 1st Rd selection with the 15th overall pick. There was really no suspense as Zach Parise, the small but high scoring forward who had just completed his Freshman year at the University of North Dakota and son of the late former Islander J.P. Parise, who famously scored the OT winner to eliminate the cross-town rival NY Rangers in 1975, sat ripe for the taking. It would have been the perfect selection for the Islanders to make. However, the Islanders went in a different direction and took Robert Nilsson instead, who was famously used in the Ryan Smyth trade 4 years later and had no impact for the Islanders. We all know what happened after, then Devils GM Lou Lamoriello selected the Minneapolis, MN native two picks later at 17. Parise, went on to be a star for the Devils, and eventually his hometown team the Minnesota Wild when he signed with them in the Summer on 2012.
Fast forward to current day, after being bought out by the Wild after his 9th season, It was really no secret where Zach Parise was going to land. Prior to being bought out, Isles GM Lou Lamoriello almost acquired Zach Parise at the 2020 NHL trade deadline in exchange for Andrew Ladd but the two teams couldn’t make the money work. So when Parise became a free agent it was only a matter of time until Lou Lamoriello corrected that mistake Milbury had made 18 years prior, and sure enough the Islanders announced in September of 2021 they had signed Zach Parise.
In the two seasons Zach Parise has played for the Islanders he has not missed a single regular season game, suiting up in all 82 games each season, a incredible feat for a player that is 39 years old. Parise compiled 36 goals and 69 points over those two seasons, scoring 21 goals last year, Good for 3rd on the team. More important than the goals and points though is Parise’s work ethic. Night in and night out Parise is one of, if not the hardest working Islander and plays a key role on the PK and playing important minutes while protecting a lead late in games. When the Islanders fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in 6 games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last Spring, a dejected Parise sat in his stall staring ahead as multiple teammates came by and gave him support as they knew the uncertain future of the veteran forward. Days later during the exit interview’s Parise had this to say about his future:
"I haven't decided anything," Parise said. "I'm going to take a couple of weeks and get away from stuff for a little bit and just see where it's at, but I haven't decided anything yet.
"I think it would be here or nowhere, but I just feel like that's how it would be."
It is now September 6th, roughly 12 days until training camp kicks off. There has still been no inclination as to whether or not Parise will be giving it a go for one more year as he tries to capture that ever elusive Stanley Cup. After re-signing fellow UFA’s Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall, Semyon Varlamov and extending franchise goaltender Ilya Sorokin this past July, the only information Lou Lamoriello gave about the status of Zach Parise was he was awaiting his decision and that if he decides to return he has a spot on the team.
For the Islander fans waiting, they likely won’t know that decision until the start of training camp when #11 is accounted for or not.
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