Player Focus: Colton Parayko

Team: St Louis Blues (NHL)
Number: 55

Age: 26

Position: D

Drafted: 2012 round 3 (#86) St Louis Blues

Stanley Cup Champion 2018/19

Sometimes one play leaves an immediate impact on you. This was the case when I was watching a St Louis Blues game a few years back. 

In this particular game I remember Parayko making an absolutely OUTSTANDING defensive play. He completely stood in the way of the attacking player and well, that completely got my attention! 

The 2012, 3^rd round draft pick has continued to cement his status as my favourite NHL player and watching him over the last number of seasons has only led me to appreciate his skills more and more. It has been incredible to watch his development over the last number of seasons. Colton Parayko has been an impact player from the start, being named to the NHL All Rookie Team in 2015/16 and since has continued to go from strength to strength. Parayko has excelled not only in his brilliant defensive plays but has also proved his ability to push towards the net to create offensive chances.

In the last month, Parayko has exploded offensively, scoring four goals on 10 shots in a three-game stretch from February 4^th vs Carolina to February 8^th vs Dallas. Parayko’s ability to read plays and break up passes and transition to offense in the blink of an eye are just some of the factors that make him truly remarkable. Parayko can immediately turn a defensive play into an offensive rush the other way. As a member of powerplay unit 2, Parayko is certainly making the case he is a key member of the PP unit, not least with 2 of his 4 goals in the three-game goal streak coming on the powerplay. 

Parayko has one of the hardest shots in the NHL. In the 2018 IIHF World Championships, he had the hardest shot of the tournament at just over 104MPH and five of the eight hardest shots in the tournament belonged to Parayko. Since making his debut in 2015, the defenceman’s time on ice has increased as Parayko has proved he is deserving of the responsibility. He is second only in St Louis skaters TOI this season to Captain Alex Pietrangelo and logs an average of 22.58 TOI/game (correct at time of posting).

Aside from his feats on the ice, including a Stanley Cup championship in 2018/19, Parayko is known for his heartwarming friendship with a young fan, Laila Anderson. The truly remarkable story of Colton and Laila’s friendship has attracted a large amount of appreciation from all over the world. A particularly beautiful moment was on the ice in Boston when the Cup had been presented. Parayko’s pure joy of seeing her and presenting her with the Cup and later her very own Stanley Cup ring would melt even the hardest of hearts. 

In 375 NHL regular season games and counting, Parayko has made a huge impact with his ability to make hits, block shots and use his great speed that we all know so well. His presence on and off the ice makes him one of hockey’s greats. It was only fitting he was the subject of my first player focus.