When Ross Colton scored his 15th goal of the season last month, he turned and jumped into the arms of Zach Parise.
It was a great moment for Colton, who grew up in New Jersey with Parise as one of his favorite players. Colton has a photo of that embrace, and he intends to find a frame for it. He might want to grab another photo with one of his teenage idols Thursday night.
Colorado Avalanche center Ross Colton (20) celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets with teammate Zach Parise (9) in the second period at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday, March 22, 2024. Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) watches the celebration. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Parise, who joined the Avalanche just before the All-Star break after taking the first half of the season off, confirmed Wednesday to the Denver Post that the contest against Edmonton at Ball Arena will be the last regular-season game of a long and distinguished career.
“Yeah, I’ve decided,” Parise said. “I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. I was content coming back that this would be the last one.”
It will be regular-season game No. 1,254 for Parise, who has also played for the Devils, his hometown Minnesota Wild and the New York Islanders. He’s eighth all time among American-born players with 433 goals. His goal with 25 seconds left in regulation helped the United States reach overtime in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympics before Sidney Crosby scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history for Canada.
Parise had 21 goals for the Islanders last season, but had decided he was ready to hang up his skates this past summer … until he wasn’t. Then he spent the first half of the season working himself back into playing shape before signing Jan. 26 with the Avalanche.
“It’s been awesome to be a part of,” Parise said. “The experience itself. Playing with these guys and even just practicing with them, it makes you a better player — even at my age. It’s gone even better than I thought it would be.”
Parise has four goals and nine points in 29 games for the Avs. He’s moved around quite a bit in the lineup with various injuries. The forwards he’s played the most with are Colton and Miles Wood, who also played for a long time with the Devils.
The pace at which he can play, even as he approaches his 40th birthday, and his versatility was attractive to Colorado as the Avs searched for another depth forward.
“Knowing how he is, you knew he was going to come here in shape and ready to go. I had no doubt in my mind that he could step in and play,” said Avs defenseman Jack Johnson, who played with Parise at the 2010 Olympics. “He’s just a great guy to have around. He’s a great pro. Does everything right. Has a great attitude every day. Works hard, works on his craft — just a great human being on and off the ice and a great example for the younger guys.”
Parise didn’t come back to play with the Avs to pad his regular-season resume. He’s here because there’s one big thing missing — a Stanley Cup championship. He got close with the Devils in 2012, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Avs have a lot of players who won the Cup in 2022. Colton won with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. Jared Bednar said recently that helping Parise get his first is one of the reasons he wants to win again this season.
Bednar isn’t alone.
“Everybody wants to win, obviously. I think it would be even more special for him and to help him win,” Colton said. “I think when the time comes, it will be something we can rally around.
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“He’s been a great leader. A great mentor. Just doing stuff with him, like after practice and trying to be a sponge with the way he carries himself on and off the ice. I’ve been pretty fortunate to play with him and it’s been pretty special. He was one of my favorite players, if not my favorite player. It’s kind of been a full circle moment for me.”
Parise joked that Colton likes talking about the Devils’ 2012 run more than his championship with the Lightning, and that the situation reminds him of when he was a younger guy in the New Jersey locker room with players like Martin Brodeur and Scott Gomez sitting in the stalls near him.
He’s already going to be remembered as one of the best American players of all time. Now he’s ready for one last dance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“(Coming back) was a great idea. No. 1, it has been fun,” Parise said. “It’s been just a really good experience to play with these players, and to have one more crack at it. I’m happy I did it. Hopefully, we’ll be playing for a couple more months.”
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