In 2025, the Ottawa Senators made the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, missed out on the 2025 playoffs after making it in 2024.
Last season, Belleville had struggles at times in between the pipes outside of Leevi Merilainen. To find a goaltender, Ottawa signed Jackson Parsons to a three-year contract.
Parsons was born in Ottawa. As an Ottawa native, being signed by the Senators can be a dream come true for some. Now, Parsons has an opportunity to be the number one goaltender on Belleville's depth chart for the 2025-26 season.
Parsons was solid with OHL's Rangers in 2024-25
From 2021-2024, Parsons had some struggles in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers during those three seasons. However, the 2024-25 season was Parsons' best season.
While playing in 52 games, Parsons posted a 37-12-3 record with a 2.24 goals against average and .920 save percentage. Parsons also added five shutouts, and played in 16 playoff games for Kitchener.
Parsons will be in a battle with two other goaltenders to be Belleville's top goaltender on the depth chart. Hunter Shepard and Mads Sogaard are the two other options. Shepard was signed this off-season after being part of the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears last season. Sogaard has been part of the Senators organization since being drafted 37th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft.
With Anton Forsberg signing with the Los Angeles Kings in July, Merilainen is expected to get a solid amount of NHL starts with being Linus Ullmark's backup in Ottawa. Merilainen played in 12 NHL games, but was remarkable and a big reason why the Senators' season was saved last season.
With Merilainen in the NHL, it can open up a challenge to be the top goaltender in Belleville with three potential options. Shepard finished with a 2.80 GAA last season, which was 1.04 higher from 2023-24. Sogaard struggled in the AHL last season and also dealt with injuries.
Despite being 20 years old, Shepard and Sogaard's struggles from last season could create the opportunity for Parsons to be Belleville's top option in between the pipes this upcoming 2025-26 season.
Parsons hasn't played in an AHL game in his hockey career. However, a career year from 2024-25 in Kitchener can boost Parsons' confidence highly for the new season.