Top prospect was acquired by the New York Rangers at the NHL trade deadline, and at first, it seemed like he was simply a throw-in to help balance salaries and open a roster spot for the Colorado Avalanche. However, that perception quickly changed when the Rangers signed him to a two-year extension — a surprising decision that further complicates an already crowded bottom-six forward group.
Before arriving in New York, he was largely seen as a depth piece. He played 22 games with the Colorado Avalanche and 15 with the Nashville Predators prior to joining the Rangers. With Colorado, he recorded 2 goals and 4 assists while averaging 9:47 of ice time per game. In Nashville, he tallied 2 goals and 3 assists in 15 games, skating 12:13 per night.
Now 24 years old, he was originally a 7th-round pick, so expectations have never been particularly high — which partly explains his limited role in Colorado. He was traded in part due to a noticeable drop in performance with the Predators, as he failed to recapture the promise he showed during a strong rookie campaign in 2022–23.
Performance
He played in 11 games for the Rangers and outperformed any offensive expectations the team or fans may have had. He averaged 9:46 of ice time per game and recorded 2 goals and 3 assists, giving him a 0.45 points-per-game rate — noticeably better than his production in both Colorado (+0.18) and Nashville (+0.12).
However, the analytics paint a less encouraging picture. In that limited sample, Parssinen posted a Corsi For Percentage of just 36.57%, an Expected Goals For Percentage of 35.6%, and a Goals For Percentage of 57.46%.
By comparison, with the Avalanche he had a 67.1 GF%, 53.47 CF%, and 45.71 xGF%. With the Predators, those numbers were 19.87 GF%, 45.48 CF%, and 37.2 xGF%.
The discrepancy between his actual goals for and expected goals for stats with the Rangers indicates he benefited from a bit of luck in putting up 5 points. His low possession metrics (Corsi) suggest he was more often reacting to play than creating it — a trend seen in both Nashville and New York. Overall, he profiles as a bottom-six option for the Rangers, though the front office’s decision to extend him hints they believe there’s untapped potential. Exactly what they see in him remains unclear.
Where They Go From Here
This assessment may seem a bit severe, but it reflects Parssinen’s full body of work across his stints with the Rangers, Avalanche, and Predators. In total, he appeared in 48 games, recorded 16 points, and posted a 45.08 Goals For Percentage, a 46.31 Corsi For Percentage, and a 39.5 Expected Goals For Percentage.
The Rangers already have several players producing at similar levels, and the reason they’ve stuck with those players is that they’ve invested time and resources into their development—whether through the draft or long-term grooming. Many of those players are also younger, giving them more time to grow and refine their game.
Parssinen, on the other hand, was a throw-in as part of a broader trade and received a contract extension almost immediately after arriving. While there’s a possibility he could thrive under Mike Sullivan’s coaching, his performance to date suggests that his long-term upside is fairly limited.