Parascak relishing being drafted

By Lethbridge Herald on July 10, 2024.

Terik Parascak, center, poses after being selected by the Washington Capitals during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Prince George Cougars forward and Lethbridge product, Terik Parascak, is living out a dream that most Western Hockey League rookies could only hope for at the end of their  rookie season.

After recording a 105-point rookie season with the Cougars, the now 18-year-old Parascak was selected by the Washington Capitals at 17th overall in the 2024 NHL draft in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago and  then he attended development camp right after last week.

He was initially ranked 15th among North American skaters heading into the draft.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” said Parascak.

“The whole kind of process of everything (has)kind of … been building momentum up until the last couple of weeks here. Just being in Vegas for the draft  was such a cool experience on its own and being at the Sphere … and yeah fortunately was drafted there by Washington in the first round and couldn’t be happier with how the whole draft process went.”

Parascak said that was pretty special, when asked about going that early in the draft.

“I mean to be picked that high and be that high on a team’s list, and considered a player like that, it’s pretty special, and obviously comes with a little bit of pressure to that,” said Parascak.

“But just tons of excitement when I heard my name called.”

The Capitals talked about Parascak’s game and liked his reliability on both sides of the puck, being a 200-foot player and his ability to score goals.

His character off the ice was noticed as well.

“They talked a lot about my off-ice and how I am off the ice and my character as a person which meant a lot to have that be said about me and that they see me as a good person,” said Parascak.

Parascak learned a lot about the off-ice aspect at development camp such as with nutrition workouts and  how to take care of his body.

“And doing all those little things that you don’t really pay … attention to when you’re at a lower level,” he said.

“And once you get to that level,  how important it is to take care of your body and be healthy and be in the best shape possible.”

Parascak then landed an Entry-Level contract by the Capitals at the end of development camp.

“There’s no guarantees in any way of me making any sort of team or line up in that sense,” said Parascak.

“It’s just kind of the starting point and from that point on, I just got to earn every opportunity I’m going to be given with that organization and just putting (in)  the work to hopefully be a regular in the NHL one day.”

He credits his parents and family  as well as coaches and teammates or getting him this far.

Parascak was named WHL Rookie of the Week  and Rookie of the Month multiple times last season.