Colton Parayko is a star among stars on Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The St. Albert minor hockey product was one of seven players named to the U23 lineup after a breakthrough performance in his rookie NHL season with the St.
Colton Parayko is a star among stars on Team North America for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
The St. Albert minor hockey product was one of seven players named to the U23 lineup after a breakthrough performance in his rookie NHL season with the St. Louis Blues.
The former midget 15 Flyer and midget AA Crusader was a standout on defence for the Blues, registering nine goals and 24 points while going plus-28 in 79 games and in the playoffs contributed two goals and five assists in 20 games for the Western Conference finalists.
The six-foot-six Parayko also ranked ninth among NHL defencemen in even-strength shot attempts with 228.
The Gazette reached out to the Blues' public relations department with an interview request but was told Parayko is on holidays and would not be available until next weekend.
However, the former Fort McMurray Oil Baron in the AJHL and University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks' captain was quoted as saying, “At the time I wasn't thinking about it that much just because of the position we were in for the playoffs. My mind was set on that at the time, but at the same time it's obviously something that you want to achieve.”
Team North America is a combination of Canadian-born and American-born players and is the only team in the tournament with an age-limit.
The first 16 players were announced March 2 and the final roster features three goaltenders, 13 forwards, including Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, and seven defencemen as Parayko joins Aaron Ekblad, Shayne Gostisbehere, Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, Morgan Reilly and Jacob Trouba on the blueline.
The Sept. 17 to Oct. 1 tournament will be staged at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and is the first World Cup of Hockey since 2004 when Team Canada won gold.
Group A consists of Team Canada, Team Czech Republic, Team USA and Team Europe (made up of the top European players from countries not in the tournament) and group B features Team Russia, Team Finland, Team Sweden and Team North America.
Parayko, 23, made headlines and was profiled in various publications and prominently featured on various networks for his strong two-way play and cannon for a shot after cracking the St. Louis' lineup in training camp.
The Blues drafted the Paul Kane High School alumnus in the third round, 86th overall, in 2012 and in March of 2015 signed a two-year entry-level contract after three seasons with the Nanooks. He was assigned to the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Blues, and collected four goals and seven points in 21 league and playoff games.
Parayko started his NHL career with two goals in his third game with the Blues and never looked back.
“I just tried to stay on course and work hard every day.”
