NY Islanders 2022-23 player report card: Zach Parise deserves all the praise

Throughout the 2022-23 NHL season, the NY Islanders saw a lot of unlikely players step up in the absence of their best player, Mathew Barzal. One of those players was the future Hall-of-Famer himself, Zach Parise. With his future up in the air, Islanders fans should be grateful to have seen him play even just one game at the UBS Arena.

*Read our previously Published player report cards:

-Sebastian Aho | Josh Bailey | Mathew Barzal | Samuel Bolduc | Casey Cizikas | Cal Clutterbuck |Noah Dobson | Pierre Engvall | Hudson Fasching | Simon Holmstrom | Bo Horvat | Ross Johnston |Anders Lee | Matt Martin | Scott Mayfield | Brock Nelson | J.G. Pageau | Kyle Palmieri

NY Islanders 2022-23 player report card: Zach Parise

After signing an entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils all the way back in 2005, Zach Parise started what would be an 18-year journey in the NHL. Last season, Parise played in all 82 games, tallying 35 points off of 15 goals and 20 assists in his first season playing for the New York Islanders. This season was no different.

Once again playing in all 82 games this season, Parise tallied 34 points, off of 21 goals and 13 assists. While this was one point shy of his first season here, Parise was able to find the back of the net more in crucial moments. At this point in his career, picking up 21 goals was more than anybody could have asked of him. Parise, who is almost 40 years old, has still been a valuable member of the Islanders the same way he was back when he played for the Minnesota Wild.

Sure, the points may have decreased over time, but to pick up 34 points at almost 40 years old is a feat that should be respected. Parise played well in any role given to him this season. Whether he was on the penalty kill, powerplay, and even picked up a couple of shorthanded goals on the year. Although he has been kept off the scoresheet this year in the playoffs, he still played hard in every shift and that should not be overlooked.

All in all, nobody knows what's next for Parise, except for Parise. After the Islanders were eliminated, hearing about his reaction was tough to stomach for a lot of fans. Is this chapter of his life over for Parise? More importantly, have we seen his last time on the ice? Only time will tell. Parise was the type of player that everyone should aspire to play like. With all things considered, Parise gets an A+ on the season. He was reliable, played hard, and although he's aging, continued to show his grit on the ice. If this is truly the end, Parise quickly became a fan favorite on the Island. Thank you, Zach Parise, for a remarkable career.