Parayko off to worlds
Colton Parayko of St. Albert is among the initial 18 players named to Team Canada’s roster for the IIHF World Championship, May 4 to 20 in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.The St. Albert Blues’ defenceman was a tournament all-star last year with three goals and four assists in seven games as Canada lost the gold-medal final 2-1 in a shootout to Sweden in Cologne, Germany.
Parayko’s international background includes the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with the North America U23 team while with the Blues and the 2011 World Junior A Challenge with Canada West as a player with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Parayko, 24, completed his third NHL season as the second-highest scoring blueliner on the Blues with 35 points in 82 games and two of his six goals were power-play markers. He was also minus seven.
Parayko’s career stats are 19 goals, 103 points and 74 penalty minutes in 242 games in the regular season, plus four goals and 12 points in 31 playoff games.
The six-foot-six Parayko was the third-round (86th overall) pick of the Blues in the 2012 NHL entry draft and after his third season with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks made his NHL debut Oct. 8, 2015 against the Edmonton Oilers.
The 2016 All-Rookie Team selection was the eighth-place finisher in Calder Trophy voting for the NHL’s rookie of the year as the second-highest vote-getter among defencemen.
The former bantam AAA Sabre, midget 15 Flyer and midget AA Crusader in the St. Albert Raiders Hockey Club signed a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million in July of 2017.
WHL final four
Three of the four Western Hockey League’s conference finalists have St. Albert connections.The Eastern Conference series features centre Matteo Gennaro and head coach/general manager Emanuel Viveiros of the Swift Current Broncos (48-17-5-2) against the Lethbridge Hurricanes (33-33-6).
Gennaro, 21, was drafted in the seventh round (203rd overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in 2015 and in 67 games with the Calgary Hitmen and the Broncos this season recorded 42 goals and 79 points. His playoff totals are seven goals and nine points in 14 games.
In the Western Conference series, left-winger Parker AuCoin and netminder Patrick Dea play for the Tri-City Americans (38-25-8-1) and Sean Richards is a left winger with the Everett Silvertips (47-20-2-3).
AuCoin, 19, has one goal in eight playoff games after producing 19 goals and 40 points in 61 games in his third season with Tri-City.
Dea, 21, is 7-0 in the playoffs with a 2.77 GAA and two shutouts after posting a 22-14 record, 3.17 GAA and two shutouts in league play.
This is Dea’s first season at Tri-City after three campaigns with the Edmonton Oil Kings and he was AuCoin’s teammate on the 2013/14 midget AAA St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders.
Richard, 19, compiled 20 goals and 49 points in 64 games before notching three goals and five points in 10 playoff games.
This is the second season with Everett for the 2013/14 midget 15 St. Albert Flyer.
The best-of-five conference finals started Friday.
Merch Madness Cup
The third annual Merch Madness Cup golf tournament, hosted by the St. Albert Merchants, is June 22 at the Cardiff Golf & Country Club.Visit www.stalbertmerchants.com to register for the four-person scramble event.
The entry fee is $150 per person or $500 per team.
Start time is 2 p.m. and dinner is 7:30 p.m.
The title sponsor is Original Joe’s and Cox Mechanical is sponsoring the VIP limousine service to and from Cardiff.
Ten per cent of the proceeds will be donated to the University Hospital Foundation for the Stroke Ambulance Pilot Project in recognition of ‘Coach Pete’.
For more information, contact Jackie MacPhee at 780-975-0122 or [email protected].
Meanwhile, the Merchants are brainstorming ideas to celebrate the team’s 35th season in the Capital Junior B Hockey League.
Honouring the inaugural 1983/84 team and the 36-0 Founders Cup 1996/97 champions are possibilities as well as hosting the CJHL all-star game.
MacPhee is also the contact person for the team’s 35th anniversary committee.
