A common story you’ll hear told at nearly every NHL draft is that of a player who possesses skill that – in a different world – would see them go a lot higher than they do. Usually there is some flaw with such players, be it on the ice or off, that makes it difficult for teams to justify using valuable draft capital to take them. Perhaps they lit their league on fire in their draft year, but the way they did it just didn’t seem projectable enough to move the needle.
This will be the case for Terik Parascak of the Prince George Cougars, who had an absolute monster draft year, but still may find himself sliding out of day one at this year’s draft.
Birthplace: Lethbridge, Alberta
Date of birth: May 28, 2006
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
Height: 5′11″
Weight: 179 lbs.
Team: Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Playing a paltry four WHL games in 2022-23, Parascak exploded on to the scene with 105 points through 68 games in his first full season with the Cougars last year. Only outscored on the roster by NHL-drafted prospects Zac Funk and Riley Heidt, his production naturally piqued the interest of scouts, and put him on the radar for a potential first-round selection.
Parascak’s off-puck positioning was the driving force for his success in the WHL last season. He’s excellent at getting lost in coverage, and re-appearing in dangerous areas ready to pounce on a pass and send pucks on goal. He’s always lurking, and has great instincts when it comes to putting himself in the best possible position to score.
When he gets the puck with any sort of space, it’s often a wrap. He has a very quick release, and a one-timer that is practically impossible for WHL goalies to stop. Because he’s so good at getting lost and then popping back into the frame, he often has clear shooting lanes coupled with lateral movement on the incoming passes to exacerbate the threat of his shot.
But the way he generates his offensive opportunities is also where the concerns lie in his game. He is a complimentary player, not yet capable of generating opportunities for himself. He’s a classic passenger, relying heavily on his teammates to find him rather than driving play himself. Players like this can have success in the NHL, but only in the right situations with the right linemates. There is a real Mike Hoffman comparison in that he can be very dangerous when he is only required to one-touch the puck, but you really start to see the holes in his game when he has to hang on to it for any measure of time.
Parascak’s skating isn’t bad per se, but it is a significant area for improvement, evidenced by his poor transitional numbers this past season. If he can bring his skating up, it could have a huge effect on his ability to contribute to transition, and could put him in a position to be more of a play driver. This could give him some very interesting middle-six scoring upside, but if he can’t, he’s likely looking at a depth role at best in professional hockey.
Rankings
Dobber Prospects: #25
Elite Prospects: #36
Hockey Prospect: #20
McKeen’s: #39
Bob McKenzie (TSN): #27
FC Hockey: #77
NHL Central Scouting: #15 (North American skaters)
Corey Pronman (The Athletic): #37
Scott Wheeler (The Athletic): #20
With a few exceptions, the bulk of the rankings place Parascak at the tail end of the first round, or just into the second. His production would normally warrant top-20 consideration, but the concern around his lack of ability to drive play has had a clear effect. If a team is willing to look past that, he could go in the first round. If not, he could slide all the way into the third.
If I’m the Montreal Canadiens, I’m not looking his way with the 26th-overall pick, even if some of the rankings have him going around there. He could be worth an upside swing in the middle rounds, but with first-round picks, you want at least some measure of ability to drive play, which really isn’t there with Parascak at this stage. They do have a timeline that permits them to take on some projects, so he could be a player to consider if his slide sees him still around for their later picks.
There is a lot of potential to unlock, and if he can learn to be more of an imposing player rather than a passenger, he could reward a team handsomely for a middle-round selection.
