Former Minnesota Wild Center Signs With Colorado Avalanche

Get our free mobile app

Zach Parise is back. And this time it will be with the Colorado Avalanche as the club announced Friday the signing of the 39-year-old winger for the rest of the season.

Parise, who spent the past two years with the New York Islanders, has been without a club since the start of the season. He finished with 21 goals and 13 assists in 82 games in 2022-23, the 11th season of his career of 20 or more goals.

"We're excited to add Zach to our group," Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said in a statement. "Over his impressive NHL career, Zach has always been a highly competitive and driven forward who is hard to play against. We look forward to adding his veteran presence to our locker room."

Signing Parise, who has never won a Stanley Cup, for the remainder of the season accomplishes several items for an Avalanche team that is seeking to win its second Cup in the past three years.

Through Friday's game, the Avalanche (32-14-3) were in first place in the Central Division. They are two points up on second-place Winnipeg Jets on points, but the Jets have played three fewer games. The Avs are also two points behind the Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks in the race for the Presidents' Trophy having last won the award during the 2021-22 season, the same year they won their third Stanley Cup.