The Scouting Report:
Terik Parascak was born in Lethbridge, AB, and based on his play this season he has risen to a projection of the end of the first round of the NHL Entry Draft from many outlets. Parascak was born May 28, 2006, and stands at six feet tall and 179 pounds.
Terik Parascak played with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL this past year scoring 43 goals and 105 points in 68 games. This was a breakout year at the best possible time, and Parascak put up these numbers as a rookie in the WHL, which is quite impressive. He followed up his stellar regular season play with 14 points in 12 playoff games.
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Draft Projections
Ranked #24 by Inside The Rink
Ranked #13 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #46 by Daily Faceoff
Ranked #28 by Dobber Prospects
Let’s look further into the skills and abilities that make Terik Parascak an intriguing prospect in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Diving Deeper:
Hockey IQ
Part of what has made Parascak successful in his rookie season is his hockey IQ. Parascak has made many smart plays that set up not only himself but his teammates for scoring chances. He helped the Cougars all season hold more puck possession as he made smart plays with the puck not just in the offensive zone, but in transition and the defensive zone.
“Parascak’s hockey sense is his best attribute and a big reason he was able to lead WHL rookies with 105 points in 68 games despite not having not having overwhelming size or speed. He’s fearless in traffic and was able to produce from the slot.”
Adam Kimelman – NHL.com – June 11th
Puck Handling
Parascak has solid hands that are able to get him, past players, efficiently without overcomplicating things. His hockey IQ surely has an impact on his puck handling, but for a rookie in the league, his play with the puck didn’t look like that of a rookie. Parascak can use his hands to quickly set up plays or get himself into a scoring opportunity and that has been one of the main factors that pushed him up many draft rankings this season.
“Parascak thinks the game at a high level and that likely played a big role in his transition this season. He has excellent hands with one-on-one skills and the ability to create time and space. As an average-sized player with so-so skating ability, Parascak will have some work to do to make it as a top-six forward in the NHL, but the trajectory he is on now is especially intriguing.”
Chris Peters – Flo Hockey – June 3rd
Scoring
Parascak also has an impressive shot. There are a few prospects in this year’s draft who can set up plays, but also finish themselves and Parascak is one of them. He became a dual threat this season, with just shy of 50 goals.
On-Ice Abilities:
Most of the concerns that scouts have about Parascak have to do with his skating. He’s not the smoothest or fastest skater by any means, but his hockey senses and playmaking ability help to make up the gap. In chatting with Josh Anselmo on our writing team at Inside The Rink, he mentioned Mark Stone as a comparable for Parascak (if he reaches his full potential) and I couldn’t agree more. Stone isn’t the best skater in the league, but his smarts and work ethic have helped him become an effective player in the league who played a major part in the Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup win last season. Parascak will have to continue to work hard to refine his game as he pushes to become an impact player in the NHL in the future.
Prospect Potential:
Terik Parascak has top-six potential, and if he continues his development at the rate it’s going then he should be in the top half of the lineup as an effective scorer and playmaker who can also play special teams, although middle-six might be slightly more realistic of a projection.
Best Potential Fit:
Los Angeles Kings: Let’s start with the Kings. The Kings have a draft selection at 21st overall in the draft, and with some killer prospects on the back end could look to add another forward to their prospect pool. Parascak could fit the Kings’ style quite well and could help the next wave of Kings hockey, as he would be hitting the NHL when Byfield and Clarke are entering their prime and could be a great candidate to pair with Byfield down the line.
Colorado Avalanche: The Colorado Avalanche select 24th in the draft this year, where we have Parascak projected. Parascak could add to the Avalanche prospect pool as it has thinned out over the last few seasons with the Avalanche being cup contenders. Parascak could become one of the Avalanche’s best prospects immediately.
Calgary Flames: The Calgary Flames have two selections in the first round of the draft, with their second being at 28th overall. If Parascak falls to them at 28th, he makes a lot of sense for the Flames. The Flames are clearly rebuilding and adding Parascak would line up with their rebuild timing. The other added bonus for the Flames is that Parascak was born in Lethbridge, which is only a couple of hours away from Calgary.
Final Thoughts:
Terik Parascak is quite the interesting prospect in this year’s NHL Entry Draft and his offensive and special teams abilities should make him a great prospect for whichever team drafts him. Parascak was one of the players who rose significantly in rankings this season and will look to continue developing as he hopes to reach his NHL aspirations.
Stats via Elite Prospects
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