Performance
Much like the other defenceman who play in the 5/6/7 slots, not much is expected of Adam Pardy when he steps on the ice. He simply has to keep it simple and not get his helmet stolen. If Pardy can do that the Winnipeg Jets are doing pretty well. Pardy has been that player for the Jets; low maintenance and able to fill in when called upon. In short, he has played his role well enough that he was not a detriment to the team.
Pardy earned the nickname PardyOrr as he sometimes has these odd offensive-zone forays that led to very little scoring but lots and lots of cheers. Pardy did get a lot more offensive-zone starts than his Jets peers, he still was able to not have that pushed against him and not lose the possession battle; a key with any bottom-pairing defenceman. While Pardy does not give the Jets a lot, he has a lot of surprisingly positive attributes that have helped them over the past two season.
Pardy is a third pairing defenceman who does not produce much offensively and gets an offensive-zone push, but he still is very good at shot repression. While that might not mean much, it actually means a lot when any defender can manage to help prevent shots against. While Pardy was not as good at preventing shots against this year as he was in previous years, he is still where he is expected to be for a player of his calibre facing the competition that he faced.
Pardy's uniqueness as a player makes him hard to evaluate. He is certainly not a good defenceman, but he is good at enough things that he is not bad. He is simply there doing things when he is asked to do them. Much like Harrison, he is low-maintenance off the ice and seems to be a likeable guy. All this said, he is 30 and is probably nearing the end of his time in the NHL.
Future
If the Winnipeg Jets want to keep Pardy, it would have to be for AHL depth. Because the Jets AHL team is back in Winnipeg, this would mean that Pardy could stay in the city and mentor young AHL players, while remaining available for call-up if the Jets ever need a veteran to sit in the press-box.
Besides the lack of room on the Jets to keep Pardy, he is also 30 and probably nearing the end of his time in the NHL as he was never an everyday NHL player. For a player who had limited skills, Pardy made a good career for himself and should be proud if this was his last season in the NHL. Hopefully Pardy is able to catch on with a different NHL team as he still can do useful things as a defender, as long as his minutes are limited and he is not an everyday player.
Finally, Adam Pardy was the inspiration of the Helmet Pardy that was banned by TNSE. He had fun with what could have been an embarrassing moment. He became a cult hero. And his last name remains the most wonderfully punable name in the world.
Pardy on, Adam.
