Zach Parise is having a great season so far for the New York Islanders

The New York Islanders were one of the most disappointing NHL teams in 2021-22. They had two previous trips to game seven of the conference final before that but they came out flat last year. Now, they are looking to bounce back this season and so far, so good (kind of).

They aren’t world-beaters or anything like that but they are currently in a playoff position although they are in a tie for the final spot. It will be a battle all season long but they are much more consistent than they were a year ago at this time.

One player who has really helped them out is Zach Parise. He is not the player that he was in his New Jersey Devils days or early Minnesota Wild days but he is still impactful. He is 38 years old and is having a really solid season, his second with the New York Islanders.

Parise has 10 goals on the season which puts him in a three-way tie (Anders Lee, Noah Dobson) for second on the Islanders. Only Brock Nelson has more at 15. Scoring goals has always been Parise’s thing as his 10th goal of this season was his 418th.

Add in six assists for 16 points which put him in a two-way tie with Oliver Wahlstrom for sixth on the team. Obviously, racking up the assists by being an elite playmaker isn’t his thing like when he was a perennial 40-assist man back in the day but his goal-scoring knack is very useful.

As one of the only players in the NHL making $750,000, he is amongst the best of them. He is one of the best values in the whole league right now.

Zach Parise has been a decent goal-scorer so far during this season.

The Islanders have a lot of other things going for them as well but they could use just a bit more scoring. Nobody on the team is elite at putting the puck in the net right now.

Mat Barzal is a sensational playmaker as he has 27 assists but he only has four goals. There is more to be unlocked with him but nobody is a driver of offense the way that a Stanley Cup contender needs.

Zach Parise really would like to win a Cup before his career comes to a close. He came so close with the New Jersey Devils in 2012 but they were just two wins shy as the Los Angeles Kings took it.

This Islanders team might be able to figure it out in the playoffs but as mentioned before, getting a high-profile scorer would go a long way for this group.

Maybe Patrick Kane, one of the only Americans more successful than Parise in the past few decades, would consider a trip to Long Island. Lou Lamoriello has done crazier things in his career as a general manager.