Background
Parker grew up playing roller hockey in Hanford, California, and he later played high school hockey for the Chugiak Mustangs in Eagle River, Alaska.
Parker grew up playing roller hockey in Hanford, California, and he later played high school hockey for the Chugiak Mustangs in Eagle River, Alaska.
Parker earned his nickname, "The Sheriff", from his reputation as a feared fighter and enforcer. He was initially drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the third round, 63rd overall, in the 1996 National Hockey League Entry Draft. However unable to come to an agreement with the Devils he re-entered into the 1998 draft and was selected in the first round, 20th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche.
Parker was acquired by San Jose for a fifth round selection in the 2003 National Hockey League Entry Draft on June 21, 2003.
In 2005, Parker was struck in the head by the puck, and spent a long time off the ice recovering from the resulting concussion. In a game against the Nashville Predators on March 11, 2006, Parker got involved in an altercation with Nashville defenceman Brendan Witt.
Called for elbowing Nashville player Jordin Tootoo, Parker was ejected from the game after an outburst of emotion in the penalty box, including slamming his stick against the glass. As he was led off the ice, Parker jumped onto the glass between the two teams" benches and struck Witt several times.
As a result, he was suspended for two games.
On February 27, 2007, Parker was re-acquired by the Colorado Avalanche from the Sharks for a 6th round draft pick in the 2008 draft. On October 17, 2008, Parker was assigned to Colorado"s affiliate the Lake Erie Monsters of the AHL. In a rare conflict between the team and one of its own players, the Avalanche terminated Parker"s contract on November 9, 2008 for insubordination for not reporting to the Monsters. In July, 2012, Parker made some controversial comments about Steve Moore.
Parker was on the roster of the San Jose Sharks at the time of the 2004 Todd Bertuzzi - Steve Moore incident in which Moore"s career was ended by an on-ice attack from Todd Bertuzzi, but Parker and Moore had been teammates in Colorado during prior seasons.
He went to Harvard, you know what, blow medical College graduate I never went to college, but I can kick your assistant
I"ll bring you right down to my intelligence quotient level if you want. I"ll hit you about four times in the skull, that"ll bring you right down." Note that during the two seasons Parker and Moore were teammates, Moore played only 12 National Hockey League games for the Avalanche while spending the bulk of his time with the AHL Avalanche affiliate Hershey Bears.
In an interview with milehighhockey.com, Parker defended Bertuzzi and spoke disparagingly of Moore, being quoted as saying "he (Moore) always thought he was better than everybody else.