Veteran Zach Parise of the Colorado Avalanche announced his retirement from the NHL after an impressive 19-year career.
The Avalanche were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs last night after a tough 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars in the second period of overtime. This marked the final NHL game for Zach Parise.
Back in January, when he signed a one-year deal with the Avalanche, Parise made it clear that this was his last chance to win a Stanley Cup. After the game, insider Elliotte Friedman shared:
"Parise has said that he would retire after this season. He also had an emotional exchange with Peter DeBoer. Those two went to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final with New Jersey."
Parise, 39, was drafted 17th overall in 2003 by the New Jersey Devils. He played 1,254 regular-season NHL games and 122 playoff games. Besides the Devils and the Avalanche, Parise also played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Islanders.
He will continue to earn a salary from the Wild until 2029 due to the team's decision to buy out his contract in 2021. More details to come.
