Xavier Parent’s Long Road Leads to a Big Devils Moment
Tonight feels like one of those special hockey nights in New Jersey — the kind that isn’t just about the standings or the matchup on paper, but about a player finally seeing a lifelong dream unfold. Xavier Parent, at 24 years old, is set to make his NHL debut when the Devils host the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the story behind that moment makes it even more meaningful.
The Devils had a busy morning leading into this game. Timo Meier stepped away on a personal leave, Evgenii Dadonov was placed on injured reserve with a wrist injury, and Parent was recalled from Utica. During the morning skate, it quickly became clear that he wasn’t just there for experience — he was sliding right into line rushes, signaling his debut was on the way.
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What makes this night emotional is just how long and winding Parent’s road has been. After finishing his junior career in 2022 with Sherbrooke in the QMJHL, he didn’t walk straight into the NHL spotlight. Instead, he signed a minor-league deal and found himself deep in the grind of the ECHL, playing for Adirondack. But he produced — 23 goals, 51 points in 50 games — enough to work his way up to the AHL and earn a full-time spot with the Utica Comets.
The climb didn’t stop there. After two strong AHL seasons, including a 17-goal year, Parent finally secured his first two-way NHL contract. And this season, after putting up 12 points in 20 games, the call every player dreams about came. He had been preparing for Utica’s game against Syracuse when his coach pulled him aside and told him he wouldn’t be playing — because he needed to get to New Jersey immediately. Parent described his legs going weak and calling his family in disbelief. Now, those same legs will carry him onto NHL ice for the first time.
He’s expected to bring energy, speed, and that gritty competitiveness that earned him this shot. At 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, he plays with more bite than his frame suggests, and he’ll be skating alongside Luke Glendening and Angus Crookshank — a familiar face from Utica, which should help settle the nerves.
All of this comes on a night when the Devils need a spark. They’re trying to build momentum after snapping a five-game skid with a win in Ottawa, and they’re facing a Tampa team that punished them not long ago with a 5-1 loss. The message from both coach Sheldon Keefe and captain Nico Hischier has been clear: no more giving Tampa’s stars “too much fun.” Play tighter, play harder, stay in their faces.
With the standings tight and every point crucial, Parent’s debut arrives at a perfect moment — a reminder of resilience, opportunity, and the kind of energy a team can rally around. And for Parent himself, it’s the night he’s imagined for years becoming real under the bright lights of Prudential Center.
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