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When Zach Parise’s kids start winter break next week, it means the family will get a rare week together.
The Islanders play their last game before Christmas on Dec. 23, then Parise will go home to Minnesota for three league-mandated off days. When the team resumes play on Dec. 27, his wife and kids can come out to Long Island for the week before the Islanders open the new year in Seattle.
This is life right now for Parise, age 38, as he plays through a one-year deal with the Islanders with his twin boy and girl about to turn 9 and his youngest son at age 4. Everything is about negotiating his love of hockey and desire to keep playing against the pull of his family. He’s in his second season with the Islanders, but the family stayed back in Minnesota, where he grew up and played from 2012-2021, when he came to New York. When they see a spot on the calendar that matches up for time together, they’ve learned to jump on it.
“It’s tough,” Parise told The Post. “They miss their dad. We do the best we can with it, try to see them as much as possible. As much as my schedule, their schedule [will allow]. They’re busy with sports, school stuff, but we do the best we can to see them as much as possible. I’d be lying if I said it was easy.”
Parise has learned how to navigate a work-life balance, which has become essential for someone who’s still capable of playing at a high level in the NHL. He’s scored nine goals so far this season and looks on pace for his highest goal-scoring total since he had 25 in 2019-20. He’s still playing minutes on both special teams units, still relishes being a part of a locker room and still wants to chase a first Stanley Cup title.
Last season, when he scored just once in the season’s first 33 games, he kept his head up, telling himself more productive days would come. Now, with more comfort in his surroundings, they have.
After struggling to find the back of the net in his first year with the Islanders, Zach Parise has nine goals in his first 25 games this season. NHLI via Getty Images
“When things change, you’re learning new faces, new locker room, just a new system,” Parise said. “… I’m not saying it was hard; these guys are the easiest group of guys to fit in with. But it just came a little easier this year, knowing the surroundings a little better.”
He understands an NHL career is finite, and wants to make the most of it. But there’s a time limit on his kids growing up, too, and prioritizing one inevitably comes at the expense of the other.
“There’s always been that feeling [of being] conflicted on it, really,” he said. “When you miss out on things that they have at home, it’s tough. It’s also understanding that this job doesn’t last forever, you can’t play forever. As long as you feel like you’re capable of playing in the league, you want to do it as long as you can. There’s a lot to weigh.”
Also weighing on him is a desire for his kids to share in the experience of his unique job. Parise remembers growing up with access to the Minnesota North Stars locker room, even though his father’s playing career had already finished by the time he was born. All three of his kids are playing — the 4-year-old just started — and his daughter asked for a Matt Martin jersey for Christmas.
Even if they can’t be there to watch him every night, he knows it’s a unique experience to give them.
“I love it as a parent, seeing them coming down to the glass at warmups or coming into the locker room,” Parise said. “… They feel like they’re a part of it. It’s just really cool for them to experience this. Just things that other kids cannot.”
Parise spent the first nine years of his career playing in front of his family in Minnesota, but has had to be more creative in finding time to be with his wife, Alisha, and their three children since his move to Long Island. NHLI via Getty Images
Still, as his wife, Alisha, is spending her time ferrying the kids to and from the rink and watching them play, Parise wants to be a bigger part of that. He spent time last summer helping coach one of his kids’ youth teams, and envisions himself doing more of it once his playing career is over.
When he’s in New York, Parise lives just a couple doors down from Brock Nelson, another Minnesota native, whose kids are with him on Long Island — a product both of them being younger than Parise’s and Nelson being on a long-term deal.
“Not having your family would be tough,” Nelson told The Post. “… It’s definitely a change of pace when you don’t have the kids and chaos at home. [But] I think everybody would prefer to have them there.”
With the season not even halfway over, Parise isn’t ready to make any grand declarations about retirement. He acknowledges there will be a time for that decision, but it isn’t now, not with the Islanders in the midst of a playoff chase.
“Try not to go down that road too much, but who knows what’s gonna happen after the season,” he said. “But yeah, of course, that’s gonna be a big factor. Like I said, it hasn’t been easy. I know it hasn’t been easy for them, for my wife. We’ll see.”
The next roster moves
With Adam Pelech still sidelined after taking a hit to the head against the Blues, the Islanders may need to bolster their defensive depth for their trip out West. Getty Images
Although coach Lane Lambert is not in the business of discussing anything resembling a transaction, it would be quite a surprise to see the Islanders head out West for three games without adding a defenseman to their roster, assuming Adam Pelech is not ready to return from a presumed concussion. Without AHL Bridgeport being so close by, it would be playing with fire to go three games without someone in place in case there is another injury.
Furthermore, with Kyle Palmieri skating with the team Tuesday morning and traveling to Arizona, his eventual return from injured reserve is looking likelier, which will require another move. Putting Pelech on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 6 feels like an easy stopgap, as the Islanders could then activate him at any time while avoiding sending someone down until that happens. That would allow them to delay an eventual decision on Hudson Fasching, Simon Holmstrom or Ross Johnston.
Of course, the sooner the Islanders can get back to a 22-man roster, the better, as it will allow them to accrue more cap space ahead of the March 3 trade deadline. Right now, though, Fasching is doing everything in his power to make it difficult for the Islanders to send him back to the AHL instead of Johnston, who continues to be a healthy scratch despite the absences of Palmieri and Anthony Beauvillier from the forward group.
A word on Josh Bailey
Josh Bailey was again a target of critics on social media after missing a shootout attempt Tuesday, but the stats underlying his game performance showed he was effective against the Bruins. NHLI via Getty Images
There was some social media criticism of Josh Bailey after his shootout attempt missed the net on Tuesday, sealing the loss for the Islanders. It was not unexpected as Bailey is a frequent Twitter punching bag despite his 15-year career on Long Island being an unequivocal success.
Let it not go unnoticed, then, that Bailey had his best game of the season against the Bruins according to Dom Lusczcyszyn’s GameScore model, notching a goal and an assist as a second line including him, Nelson and Cal Clutterbuck turned in a 2-0 performance on goals for in 8:24 of ice time. No one will deny that Bailey has slowed down a bit at age 33. But this isn’t a moment where shouting in his direction is particularly warranted.