Blues defenceman Colton Parayko has limitless potential

Colton Parayko's potential is limitless.

So says his coach, Ken Hitchcock, who knows a thing or two about developing a stud on the blue-line.

When Hitchcock led the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup in the 1998-99 season, he had 6-foot-5, 225-pound Derien Hatcher leading the charge. As a member of Canada's coaching staff at various international competitions Hitchcock had 6-foot-6, 220-pound Chris Pronger at his disposal. Now, as Hitchcock prepares for retirement in his final season as coach of the St. Louis Blues, he is charged with helping Parayko take his game to the next level.

The 6-foot-5, 226-pound St. Albert, Alta., native was an impact performer with the Blues last season as a rookie, scoring nine goals and 33 points. Not bad for a guy who was passed over in the 2011 NHL draft, only to be picked in the third round (86th) in 2012.

"He hasn't hit his stride offensively yet," Hitchcock said. "He hasn't had the offensive numbers we think he is going to get to, but quite frankly neither have we as a team. We have done it with checking and defence and he's been at the forefront of that. But from a complete player side of things he has had a great start. From his ability to defend to exit pucks to play against top players, he has had a great start."

After scoring 17 goals and 66 points in 104 games with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks over three seasons, Parayko had three goals and seven points for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League in 2014-15. He then graduated to the Blues and is now a fixture on the blue-line.

Parayko was so impressive as a rookie he was included on Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey. The team of players 23-years-old and younger won the hearts of hockey fans with a 2-1 record. Parayko had three assists in the tournament, including two in a 4-1 win over Finland, a game in which he was the first star.

Hitchcock said Parayko is on the right path to being a top defensive player. With three assists and team-leading 19 blocked shots in nine games, Parayko and his defensive partner Joel Edmundson routinely are matched against the opposition's top forwards.

"The next challenge for Colton is to do the instinctual stuff offensively," Hitchcock said. "He didn't have a lot of offensive opportunities even in college. He was more of a shut down guy. Can he get comfortable being a go-to guy on the whole 200 feet of ice?"

Finding consistency in his offensive game is Parayko's greatest challenge.

"Some guys can score from distance and some guys, it takes a while before it gets done," Hitchcock said. "Colton has a really hard shot, but some guys just blow it right through the goalie and that's where he needs to get to. For him to get to the next level he needs to use his shot as a weapon."