Parker Von Richter
2023-24 Team: Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Date of Birth: May 17, 2006
Place of Birth: Mississauga, ON, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 183 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- Elite Prospects: 129th
- NHL Central Scouting: 184th (among NA Skaters)
Parker Von Richter brings with him many interesting tools that he has not been able to put together yet at the junior level. In his two seasons in Mississauga, he has been very durable as he has already played a total of 131 games in his young hockey career. He’s also been a steady force on the back end for head coach James Richmond and his young Steelheads team, with Von Richter already being trusted in key situations in his young career.
Von Richter was originally thought to be an offensively-minded defender when he was drafted out of the Toronto Marlboros GTHL team where he played with fellow NHL prospects Beckett Sennecke and Sam Dickinson. Still, the offence has not come yet for the 18-year-old. In his rookie season, he produced 15 points in 66 games and this season, he scored 25 points in 65 games. Nothing special. But where he was able to thrive was on the defensive side of the ice. He is a menace in front of his own net, always trying to get players out of his goaltender’s crease to avoid a screen.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Players like Von Richter go under the radar because they aren’t the flashy defenceman that people covet in the draft like Erik Karlsson or Rasmus Dahlin, but players like him are important to teams when the NHL playoffs arrive. A great example of that is Radko Gudas for the Florida Panthers in last year’s playoffs. He was an absolute menace to opposing players because of how he was able to get under their skin without scoring many points. With Von Richter also being a right-handed shot, he comes at a premium in the NHL where right-handed defencemen are rare.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Parker Von Richter – NHL Draft Projection
Von Richter is projected to not go very high in this draft, but if a team took a chance on him in the later rounds I don’t think they would regret it. Every team needs a tough-as-nails defenceman who clears the front of the net and staples players to the boards. He does that and if a team were to grab him in the fifth round and onward, they should be happy with the pick.
Quotables
“It is certain that his defensive skills are strong. He poses a challenge for opponents in front of his own net when he clears the area for his goalie. Although his skating is only slightly better than average, he maintains tight gap control, directs players to the perimeter, and successfully engages them along the boards. His hockey intelligence in the defensive zone surpasses the norm.” –Dominic Tiano, OHL Writers
Strengths
- Defensively responsible
- Tough
- Clears the front of the net
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
- Point production
- Break-out pass
- Skating
NHL Potential
Von Richer maxes out as a top-four defenceman who will fluctuate between the second and third pair. He will be a top penalty-killer in the NHL and be relied upon to kill off the final two minutes of games when his team has the lead. If you pair him with a more offensively-minded defenceman, he will complement them well at the pro level.
With a right-handed shot, he will be a wanted commodity for a playoff team similar to how Luke Schenn and Zach Bogosian were a necessity to the Tampa Bay Lightning for both their 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup runs. Both players may not have been flashy on the ice, but they had an important role and they played it well. Von Richter will emulate what those players brought if he is to play for an NHL team in the playoffs.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk- 1.5/5, Reward 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense- 3.5/10, Defense 8/10