Parascak saw a dip in his production this year in the WHL. After a 105-point year in his draft year, he dropped down to 23 points in nine fewer games. That happens when an elite WHL talent like Zac Funk (WSH) leaves to go pro. Teammate Riley Heidt (MIN) saw his production drop by 27 points in six fewer games. So, the Prince George Cougars certainly felt the loss of Funk. However, Parascak was not impacted as much. But the issues with Parascak’s game prevail. He is a passenger and does not drive play to a level that keeps him as a potential elite NHL talent. Parascak’s skating is also a concern and has not shown significant improvement since his draft year. He appears to be at least two years away from the NHL and will need help from more play-driving linemates to unlock his potential.

The Capitalls selected Parascak at 17. Interesting.

Scoresheet-wise, there is so much to love with Parascak. He is clicking at a goal per game and 30 points in 18 matches played as of writing this. Beyond the point totals, however, what makes Parascak so interesting is the way he puts up those points.

A vast majority of the points he has produced so far have come from the low slot and off one-touch plays, which seems strange at first given how poor his skating is. He shouldn’t be beating players to dangerous ice so consistently with that skating stride, and yet, he always is. That’s a testament to how intelligent Parascak is, both on and off the puck. Perfectly-timed inside cuts, one-touch passes and net drives put him and his teammates in prime scoring real-estate almost every shift, and he has also improved his long-range scoring to complement his short-range threat. Starting from scratch with a skating coach could unlock so much potential in Parascak’s game as a two-way forward.