Islanders teammates hope Parise returns for another season

EDINA, Minn. --Zach Parise's NHL future is uncertain at this moment, and though Brock Nelson wants the forward to return to the New York Islanders for another season, he's not putting any pressure on him to do so.

"I haven't pushed Zach at all, just let him take his time," Nelson said Wednesday. "I think a guy with that kind of resume, you kind of just let him do his thing."

After the Islanders were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round, Parise said he would either play for New York this season or retire.

The 38-year-old, who became an unrestricted free agent July 1, has played all 82 games in each of the past two seasons with the Islanders, scoring a combined 69 points (36 goals, 33 assists). In 1,124 games with the New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild and Islanders, he has 879 points (429 goals, 450 assists).

Nelson and Islanders teammate Anders Lee were two of several NHL and college players with ties to Minnesota who played on opening night of the Da Beauty League, a 4-on-4 summer league.

They each spoke about what Parise means to the Islanders.

"On the ice and off, he's a guy that works really hard, loves the game, loves being around it," Nelson said. "Even though he's been around the League forever, he's still trying to get better and find a way to help the team.

"He just wants to win, so that's always good to be around."

Lee, the Islanders captain, said Parise brings more to the Islanders than just his talent on the ice.

"It's really special to play with a guy like that," Lee said. "He's had such a successful career and you know, at his age, just to see what he's doing out on the ice is extremely impressive. And you can't find a better guy in the room."

No matter what Parise does, the Islanders will have plenty of familiar faces back from a team that went 42-31-9 and was the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Forward Pierre Engvall, defenseman Scott Mayfield (seven-year contracts) and goalie Semyon Varlamov (four years) each re-signed with the Islanders on July 1, and goalie Ilya Sorokin signed an eight-year contract that same day that begins next season.

"It's going to be similar faces," Nelson said. "Unknown right now with Zach, but a lot of guys coming back that we've had for a while, so I think everyone has a lot of belief and confidence that we have what it takes to go out there and go further."

Lee mentioned forwards Simon Holmstrom, 22, and Oliver Wahlstrom, 23, among young players who could eat up minutes and vie for more opportunity.

"We're looking forward to next year," Lee said. "It's that time of the summer now where you turn the page and get going for the fall here. It was just a disappointing end (in the playoffs). It was a tight series that didn't go our way, and we were on the wrong end of it. We reflect on that and know what we need to figure out and start to gear up for the fall."

Whether or not that includes Parise is still to be determined.

"I definitely would love to have him back, Nelson said. "I think he'd be a big part of the team if he does, but if not he's had a [heck of a] career, and I definitely wish him the best."