In February, the NHL released their projections on which players would be selected for Team Canada in the first Four Nations Faceoff tournament, which will kick off in Feb. 2025 and replace the NHL All-Star Game. Amongst the St. Louis Blues players, Robert Thomas and Jordan Binnington made the projection cut.
On July 8, the NHL posted an updated roster projection, and Colton Parayko was not even considered. Team Canada has many options, but snubbing Parayko would be a tough defensive decision. Here’s what he could bring to this Team Canada roster if given a chance.
The Best Shot-Blocking Defenseman
In 2023-24, Parayko finished first in the NHL in blocked shots (218), making him one of the better shot-blocking choices for Team Canada in this tournament. However, he is a right-handed shot, which could make it complicated for selection, considering he will be competing for a spot on the roster with Drew Doughty, Evan Bouchard, and Noah Dobson, who are top projections to make the final cut.
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Despite all those players having the higher edge over Parayko, he still topped them in the shot-blocking department. His recent total for blocked shots was the highest in his career, and he’s only 31 years old. His shot block totals for 2023-24 were also in the top 20 in NHL history by a player in a single season.
With a lot more progression in his shot block ambition and the ability to be a great penalty killer for the Blues, Parayko could be a good asset for Team Canada in tight situations. He also proved he could be durable through all those blocked shots, playing a full 82 games last season and later competing in the World Championship in Czechia in May.
A Decorated Resume of Achievements
Considering that Jon Cooper, the coach of Team Canada and the Tampa Bay Lightning, likes to have a defensive core that can close out games, Parayko would be a great selection if a shutdown defenseman were on Cooper’s list. Parayko also brings much experience from other international tournaments, such as the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, when he played for Team North America.
Not to mention his Stanley Cup experience, which can be crucial to how he reacts in a game with something special on the line, this time while representing his country. Parayko also played in some World Championship tournaments before this year’s tournament, which has made him a reliable option for Team Canada.
Maybe with all those accolades, he can be a special consideration if Cooper is willing to take Parayko over Dobson. Doughty and Bouchard seem the most likely to win over the right defenseman slots on the roster. After all, Bouchard had a great run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and Doughty’s potential Hall of Fame status as a two-time Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist. Parayko has come closest career-wise to Doughty and has undoubtedly topped Bouchard as a top defenseman.
Compared to Dobson, he’s also very dominant over Dobson in terms of accolades, as Parayko has been the more experienced option. Although Dobson has the better point totals during the season, Parayko would provide an extra defensive defenseman option. The projected roster also has a lot of left defense options, mainly offensive style, in Josh Morrissey, Owen Power, and Devon Toews.
A Great Shutdown Option for Canada
The team to worry about in this tournament will be Team USA, as they are stacked on offense and require Team Canada to have a defense to shut them down if they have a lead.
So, where does Parayko fit in all this? Well, most of the players projected to be selected on the defensive roster are power-play threats, and having a player like Parayko on the penalty kill would bring a lot of depth to the roster.
With over 1,000 minutes shorthanded, Parayko has been one of the Blues’ go-to options on the penalty kill and was ranked in the top 20 in shorthanded minutes last season. Last season, he allowed 32 goals on the penalty kill, the 20th highest in the league, and 11 more goals against compared to his 2022-23 totals.
However, in 2018-19, when the Blues won the Stanley Cup, Parayko allowed only six goals on the penalty kill while on the ice and played about 113 shorthanded minutes.
As for dominance, I would also take Parayko because of his sheer size alone, as it will make it more challenging for offensive teams like USA to beat him along the boards and in front of the net. Parayko stands at 6-foot-6 and 228 pounds, which is also why I would take him over Dobson, who has a height of 6-foot-4 and weighs 28 pounds less than Parayko.
What We Do Know About Canada’s Defensive Core
Canada announced in June that they had already selected their first six players. Cale Makar was the first defenseman to be selected, which comes as no surprise considering the incredible play he’s put up since entering the league in 2019-20.
As for Parayko, it will come down to a tight race of right-handed defensemen. So far, he hasn’t been a top option, but the good news is that we don’t know who the other six defensemen will be, as that will be decided closer to the tournament. For now, we will have to wait until the beginning of the 2024-25 season, which will give a more recent and in-depth analysis of who has the better season ahead of the Four Nations tournament in Feb. 2025.
That said, if this season turns into what is hoped to be a good season for Parayko, then it would be a very disappointing decision to see him not make the team. If he does, in fact, make the team, then I would also consider him for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
