Saturday night in Gatineau gave the Senators organization a little bit of everything: Jaxon Cover’s eye-catching overtime finish, a three-point night from the first-round pick, and, just as importantly, a steady showing from Jackson Parsons in goal.
Parsons was busy early in Ottawa’s 4-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Prospect Challenge. The Senators’ young skaters had a few shaky moments in their own end during a hectic opening period, and that left the 21-year-old goalie to handle plenty of traffic. He never looked overwhelmed.
“It was a huge win,” Parsons said. “Obviously, just super pumped that the first one was a good one.”
“It’s always scrambling, I think, in these games,” Parsons said. “It’s the nerves of the young guys and stuff.
But as the game progressed, I thought the game was a little bit smoother. It’s always great to get more shots in the first period, for sure.”
Even with the breakdowns in front of him, Parsons said he stayed calm throughout.
“Honestly, I felt comfortable the entire game,” he said. “The way that I prepared in the summer, I just went in there with all the confidence in the world, knowing that I did everything I could to prepare for the game.”
For the undrafted Embrun native, it was a useful first step in a season that carries more weight than the last one. Parsons is entering his second year in the organization after splitting his first pro campaign between Belleville and the ECHL’s Allen Americans.
He played 14 AHL games for Belleville and went 6-5-1 with a 3.22 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage. In Allen, he put together a strong run, going 11-9-1 with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in 22 games.
Last season was about learning how to handle pro hockey and the grind of playing against men. This year, Parsons says the expectations are different.
“Your first year on the ELC, you’re kind of just the young guy who can kind of soak everything in,” he said. “Obviously, it matters if you do bad or do good, but this year there’s a little bit more pressure. There’s pressure on myself, from myself, as well.
“I want to be better. I want to be that starting goalie in the AHL, so for sure it was a huge off-season.”
That makes performances like Saturday’s especially important. Parsons is expected to compete with Leevi Meriläinen and Kevin Reidler for the two main goaltending spots in Belleville, though Meriläinen’s situation to begin the year remains unclear.
The Finnish netminder sits behind Linus Ullmark and Sam Ersson on the Senators’ depth chart and is on a one-way NHL contract worth $1.1 million, meaning he would need to clear NHL waivers before joining Belleville later this month.
With that backdrop, Parsons had a chance to show the organization he’s ready for a larger AHL role.
The setting only made it better. Gatineau put family and friends in the building, and Parsons said that meant a lot.
“There were a lot of aunts and uncles at the game tonight because they don’t want to make the trek out to Belleville, or they’re busy and all that kind of stuff,” he said. “It was awesome to see them.”
The rookie camp also brought him back together with former Kitchener Rangers teammates Matthew Andonovski and Luke Ellinas.
Parsons finished his junior career in impressive fashion, becoming the first Kitchener goaltender to win CHL Goaltender of the Year. He also earned OHL top goaltender and overage player honors after posting a 37-12-3 record with a 2.24 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and five shutouts in the 2024-25 season.
He also got a front-row look at Cover’s surge. The Ottawa pick, selected 32nd overall in June, added four more points against Montreal on Sunday after his three-point outing against Toronto and finished the tournament with seven points in two games.
As for Parsons, the name issue is simple enough.
“All the boys call me Parce.”
And after the way he opened the weekend, that nickname came with a performance that sounded a clear message: he’s pushing for Belleville full time.
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