It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Today, we are going to look at the 27th-ranked player in the TWC consolidated 2024 NHL Draft rankings. The 2024 NHL Draft will take place on June 28 and 29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Who is Terik Parascak?
| Player | Position | Handedness | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terik Parascak | RW | Right | 5’11” | 179 lbs |
Parascak’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Relative | League | Team | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | D-2 | CSSHL U16 | Edge School U16 Prep | 34 | 55 | 43 | 98 |
| CSSHL U18 | Edge School U18 Prep | 4 | 7 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 2022-23 | D-1 | CSSHL U18 | Edge School U18 Prep | 30 | 32 | 34 | 66 |
| WHL | Prince George Cougars | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2023-24 | D+0 | WHL | Prince George Cougars | 68 | 43 | 62 | 105 |
The Lethbridge, Alberta product spent several years playing at Edge School in Calgary. He dominated U16 Prep in 2021–22 with 98 points in 34 games. That was tops for league scoring.
In 2022–23, Parascak played with Edge School U18 Prep, where he scored 66 goals in 30 games. That was second in league scoring, only behind Gavin McKenna, who is the projected first-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In 2023–24, Parascak played for a good Prince George Cougars team and lit up the scoresheet. His 43 goals ranked 10th in league goal scoring, while his 105 points placed him eighth in league point scoring. A lot of his goals were generated at the net front.
Currently, Parascak is playing against the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL Conference Finals. In 11 playoff games, Parascak has six goals and 14 points. The series is currently tied 1–1.
Parascak’s strengths
Compete
Parascak plays in all situations with the Cougars because he is effective in all areas of the ice. He is a very engaged player. He loves battling for net-front position and trying to find rebounds in the dirty areas. But he’s also engaged in the other areas of the ice, hence why he has been used on both the power play and penalty kill with Prince George this season.
Hockey IQ
Parascak has one of the highest hockey IQs in this draft. He is able to anticipate plays and situations on the ice. This hockey IQ definitely helps make Parascak an effective player, despite some of his areas of improvement. Parascak is a guy who complements everyone around him and makes them better players.
Parascak’s areas of improvement
Skating
The biggest area of improvement in Parascak’s game is his skating, particularly his stride. However, it has already improved since the beginning of the 2023–24 season. Still, he will need lots of work with a skating coach if he wants to be a full-time and effective NHLer. This reminds me of Connor Zary, who fell to the Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft due to his foot speed. As we’ve seen this season, skating is no longer a problem for Zary. You can teach players how to improve their stride. You can’t teach a player how to think the game like Parascak does.
Hands (stick handling)
Parascak excels at using his teammates effectively. He often makes quick passes and short puck touches to his teammates so he himself holds the puck less. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as we see a ton of successful players in today’s NHL who find success by being connectors. His handling of the puck can certainly be improved.
Parascak comparables
Two players that Parascak has garnered comparables to are Dawson Mercer and Fabian Zetterlund. Both Mercer and Zetterlund have above-average shots and can get into effective scoring areas. Not the biggest players on the ice, but both are still very effective due to the way they think the game. Another interesting comparable to me is Mark Stone. Now obviously that’s a high ceiling to reach. But like Parascak, Stone isn’t the fastest player or the best stick handler. However, Stone is such a smart player that he can make up for those weaker areas of his game. He can also play with the elite and top line players on a team.
Fit with the Flames
The Flames lack both right shot and RW prospects in their organization. Parascak checks both boxes. The Flames have a good history of working with players who needed to improve their skating, like Matthew Tkachuk and Connor Zary. Parascak is projected to go right around where the Flames are likely picking with Vancouver’s first-rounder, so he is likely to be in discussion.
Summary
Terik Parascak fits the mould of past Flames draft picks. While his skating and puck carrying will need to improve, Parascak works hard and thinks the game better than most. He was very effective in his first full season in the WHL in 2023–24. Parascak figures as a player that is likely available in the range where the Flames will be drafting with the Canucks’ first-rounder. Parascak was in a great situation this season in playing on a great Prince George Cougars team.
Risk: 2.5/5
Reward: 4/5
Projection: Play-connecting middle-six winger
Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2024 NHL Draft prospects:
Macklin Celebrini | Ivan Demidov | Artyom Levshunov | Sam Dickinson | Cayden Lindstrom | Berkly Catton | Cole Eiserman | Zeev Buium | Konsta Helenius | Zayne Parekh | Carter Yakemchuk | Anton Silayev | Tij Iginla | Adam Jiricek | Michael Brandsegg-Nygard | Liam Greentree | Igor Chernyshov | Trevor Connelly | Aron Kiviharju | Michael Hage | Ryder Ritchie | Sacha Boisvert | Nikita Artamonov | Maxim Masse | Cole Hutson | Beckett Sennecke | Dominik Badinka | Emil Hemming | Henry Mews | Terik Parascak | Alfons Freij | Charlie Elick | EJ Emery | John Mustard | Luka Misa | Tanner Howe | Lucas Pettersson | Matvei Gridin | Dean Letourneau | Leo Sahlin Wallenius
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