The first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is in the books, and the Washington Capitals have their player with the 17th overall pick. General manager Brian MacLellan and his staff could have gone either forward or defense with their choice. Ultimately, they picked winger Terik Parascak, who played the 2023-24 season in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Prince George Cougars.
Hockey Background
Parascak was born on May 28, 2006, in Lethbridge, Alberta. He grew his game for the most part in the Edge School program. In 2019-20, while playing for the school’s U15 Varsity team, he tallied 22 goals and 19 assists for 41 points in 29 games. He also played in three postseason games and went pointless during that span. In 2020-21, Parascak was with the U15 Prep team for six games and produced five points (three goals and two assists). During the following season, 2021-22, he split his time between two Edge School teams, the U16 prep and the U18 prep group. He posted the following regular-season numbers between both squads:
- 2021-22 Edge School U16 Prep: 55 goals and 43 assists for 98 points in 34 games
- 2021-22 Edge School U18 Prep: seven goals in four games
Additionally, Parascak tallied eight goals and five assists for 13 points in five playoff games for the U16 prep team in 2021-22.
Parascak’s last campaign for Edge School was 2022-23, during which time he played 30 games for the U18 program. In that span, he scored 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points.
Parascak went to the WHL and played for the Cougars for the first time in 2022-23. In four regular-season contests, he went pointless. He also played in one playoff game and did not accrue any points.
Parascak made a full impact in his most recent season with Prince George. He spent the whole campaign with the Cougars and went off by accumulating 105 points in 68 regular-season games (43 goals and 62 assists). The Cougars made the postseason, and Parascak put up six goals and eight assists for 14 points in 12 games.
What Others Have Said and NHL Comparison
The hockey world has discussed Parascak in terms of many strengths. Writer Jesse Courville-Lynch talked about one of the biggest components that makes him so great as a talent on the ice. Courville-Lynch stated, “Parascak’s biggest strength is his offensive game…Offensive skill alone, he is arguably one of the strongest in his draft class. Unfortunately, teams are looking for complete players with their early picks, and Parascak still has some touch-ups to focus on before he is ready to make the jump to the professional level.” Courville-Lynch also specifically lists Parascak’s strengths in his Draft Profile of him as “offensive wizard,” “hard shot,” and “great hands,” among other attributes.
Looking at what TSN had on Parascak, Bob McKenzie had him listed as the 25th-best player in his final Draft Ranking. Craig Button also put down a brief quote on Parascak’s TSN profile. Button stated on the profile, “Can do it all. Offensively at 5-on-5, PP, and in tough spots. Kills penalties. Solid defensively. Impacts games in multiple ways.” When selecting an NHL comparable for him, Button chose Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis. Jarvis would be a solid player for Parascak to become for Washington. He has made a name for himself in Carolina to the point that there has been discussion about what Jarvis’ next contract could look like with the Hurricanes. Sticking with Jarvis, he has accrued the following numbers since he entered the NHL in the 2021-22 season:
- 2021-22: 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 68 games
- 2022-23: 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 82 games
- 2023-24: 33 goals and 34 assists for 67 points in 81 games
Jarvis has also proven to be a significant contributor in the playoffs. In 40 postseason contests, he potted 13 goals and 14 assists for 27 points. His playoff stats are broken down per run below:
- 2022 playoffs: three goals and five assists for eight points in 14 games
- 2023 playoffs: five goals and five assists for 10 points in 15 games
- 2024 playoffs: five goals and four assists for nine points in 11 games
If Parascak becomes an offensive weapon like Jarvis is for Carolina, he will be the face of the offensive future in the post-Ovechkin Era.
Related: Washington Capitals Draft Terik Parascak 17th Overall
One more hockey person who talked about Parascak’s skillset is Sammi Silber of The Hockey News. She spoke about how he was picked a little earlier than many expected, and even he was surprised his name was called when it was. She stated, “…he was projected to go later in the first round but found himself standing up at 17th after being selected by the Washington Capitals. For Parascak, it was a bit of a surprise, evident by the gasp he let out when he heard his name called. After all, he’d been projected to go later in the first round or early in the second.”
Silber then discussed what made Parascak so good. She said, “Parascak dazzled with his scoring and playmaking ability, as well as his awareness, high hockey IQ and ability to get to the right place at the right time. He goes all out when he plays, and he’s also a strong two-way player who earns his responsibility. When it comes to his game, he compared himself to a familiar face in D.C.: T.J. Oshie, and explained that one of his biggest assets was his versatility.” Like in the case of the Jarvis comparison by Button, if Parascak can become a player similar to Oshie, the Capitals are in great shape.
Bright Future in D.C.
MacLellan and his staff continue preparing for the next Capitals chapter. Parascak joins other players who will help solidify the offense’s future for the organization. Currently, players on long-term contracts include new-coming forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, longtime Capitals winger Tom Wilson, defender Rasmus Sandin, Dylan Strome, and Aliaksei Protas. Then, other up-and-coming talents like Hendrix Lapierre need to be factored in along with 2023 first-round selection Ryan Leonard, who is playing in the NCAA for the Boston College Eagles. There should be a spot for Parascak when he is ready. He needs to continue to progress and improve in his game. In the not-so-distant future, he may find himself in the Capitals system, either in the AHL with the Hershey Bears or in D.C. playing NHL games. Time will tell how this selection works out.
