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Terik Parascak

Strategic Drafting Will Keep Capitals Competitive

July 8, 2025 at 6:39 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 3 Comments

The Washington Capitals seemed well on their way towards reclusion a few seasons ago. They managed to win the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 2018 – but by 2022, only eight members of the Cup-winning roster were still in Washington. The club fell entirely out of the postseason by 2023, marking their first summer absence since 2015. That miss sparked an upheaval of the Capitals’ coaching staff. The new group – headmanned by rookie NHL head coach Spencer Carbery –  has returned the Capitals to the playoffs on the back of a clear ability to develop certain styles.

The Capitals have leaned into Carbery’s vision for the lineup in all aspects of their roster building – but most notably, in their draft selections. A team once honed in on finding the balance between high-offense forwards and all-defense defenders has steadied over the last two draft classes. In doing so, Washington has not only found their way back to the postseason – but also managed to surge to the top ranks of NHL prospect pools.

Their class is undoubtedly led by first-round picks Ryan Leonard, Terik Parascak, and Lynden Lakovic. All three play a chippy, physical style of hockey – with strong shots and a clear ability to find space off of the boards and in the corners. Their physical upside speaks to some layer of certainty in the bump-and-grind Capitals lineup, even if it requires the extra years of development, akin to Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre, the latter of who appeared to come along with a hot year in the AHL.

But the Capitals reach the tops of prospect value with their picks outside of the first-round. Their group may be most truly headlined by defender Cole Hutson, who posted an absurd 48 points in 39 games of his freshman season at Boston University. He was the Terriers’ top defender as they raced to a National Championship loss, and is the younger brother of Montreal’s Lane Hutson, who recorded a record-setting 62 assists in his rookie NHL season this year.

Hutson is followed by towering forward Ilya Protas, the younger brother of current Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas. Ilya was drafted out of the USHL, but moved to the OHL for this season. That proved an incredibly lucrative bet, as the 6-foot-5 forward blazed his way to 50 goals and 124 points in just 61 games with the Windsor Spitfires. He improved across the board – adding smoother skating and more confident stickhandling – and seems well set on paving his way into the pros.

But through the top names, it’s winger Eriks Mateiko – a burly Latvian recently dominating the QMJHL – and Swiss-defender Leon Muggli who offer the truest glimpse into what Washington has prioritized. The team has consistently found ways to land not only tall, heavy draft picks — but players who play with a physical edge and truly know how to utilize their size to their advantage. That’s the exact trait that’s elevated players like Protas and McMichael to early-career success. Even the recent resurgence of Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois can be attributed to Washington’s unique ability to take a calm and assertive approach to offense, rather the run-and-gun style many teams attempt to skill their way into.

Washington impressively flaunted their ability to land that style of player in the 2025 draft. Lakovic is a hefty winger who could improve his ability to break-through the defense – making him a perfect match in Washington – and fellow top-pick Milton Gastrin is a lumbering and slow centerman capable of making quick plays. But it’s, again, their late picks that define Washington’s potential. They swept up re-entry forward Jackson Crowder in the fifth round, folding in a layer of responsible and physical play in a 6-foot-3 frame. Better than that, Washington managed to land hefty Swedish defenseman Aron Dahlqvist in the sixth round — nearly three rounds later than many pundits predicted. Dahlqvist is a ball of grit and aggression, with powerful strides and fundamental hitting. He digs into opponents – and that physical prowess earned him 16 games in Sweden’s SHL this season, even despite the fact that Dahlqvist didn’t score in any of those appearances.

Both scouts and fans have raised questions with, seemingly, every Capitals prospect. But the team is clearly confident in the style they’re searching for. The focus is squarely on landing physically mature, and capable, players at every group — players that well fit into the development style that Carbery has already utilized on some of the 2024-25 squad’s top players. That should glean multiple NHL roster players, especially given the acknowledgement Washington’s pool has earned from the public sphere. The Capitals are back in the postseason and, with most of the roster locked up for the short-term, seem well positioned to return to their yearly summer hockey. With the boost of smart, situational drafting backing the NHL lineup – Washington, and head coach Carbery, could be well on their way to landing even more successful draft picks, and maintaining their status for many years to come.

AHL| NHL| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals| Washington Capitals Cole Hutson| Eriks Mateiko| Ilya Protas| Leon Muggli| Lynden Lakovic| Milton Gastrin| Ryan Leonard| Terik Parascak

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Capitals Loan Terik Parascak to Hershey Bears

April 13, 2025 at 4:14 pm CDT | by Paul Griser Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals have loaned forward Terik Parascak to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, the team announced today. One of the team’s top prospects, Parascak was selected 17th overall pick in the 2024 draft, and has been on a tear in the WHL this season.

Parascak, 18, has 82 points in 59 games for the Prince George Cougars, which is second on the team behind Minnesota Wild prospect Riley Heidt (90). Despite his lofty numbers, he actually put up more points with the Cougars last season, when he posted 43 goals and 105 points in 68 games. He has added 24 points in 19 playoff games in the WHL, including 10 points in seven games this season. The Cougars’ season ended after a first-round exit, opening the door for Parascak to join the Caps’ AHL-affiliate. At 6’0, 180, the right-handed winger is known for his ability to set up and finish plays.

Last season, he was named to the 2024 CHL All-Rookie Team and the WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team, led CHL rookies in goals and points and finished eighth overall in WHL scoring. Parascak’s 105 points were the most by a CHL rookie since Patrick Kane (145 points) and Sam Gagner (118 points) in 2006-07 and the fourth most since 2000-01, trailing only Kane, Gagner and Sidney Crosby (2003-04: 135 points), per the release.

Parascak, a native of Alberta, joins the Atlantic Division-leading Bears as they gear up for a deep run toward the Calder Cup. The team currently sits at 43-16-6-1, and adding a playmaker like Parascak should only support their efforts. He joins fellow Caps’ forward prospects in Hersey like Pierrick Dube and Ivan Miroshnichenko.

 

 

 

AHL| Washington Capitals Terik Parascak

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Capitals Sign First-Rounder Terik Parascak

July 5, 2024 at 2:58 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

The Capitals have signed right winger Terik Parascak to his three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today. It carries a the maximum ELC cap hit of $975K.

Parascak was the Capitals’ lone first-round selection in last week’s draft, coming off the board at 17th overall. He was one of the WHL’s most unexpectedly prolific scorers last season, exploding for 105 points (43 goals, 62 assists) in 68 games with the Prince George Cougars. The 6’0″, 173-lb forward led all WHL rookies and goals and points and finished eighth in scoring leaguewide after suiting up in just four contests for the Cougars in 2022-23, instead spending the campaign with a U18 prep program.

For his stellar rookie showing, Parascak received CHL All-Rookie Team honors and was named to the WHL’s B.C. Division Second All-Star Team. Those 105 points were the most by a rookie in all CHL leagues (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) since Patrick Kane had 145 and Sam Gagner had 114, both in the 2006-07 campaign. He tacked on 14 points in 12 playoff games to end the season as the Cougars were eliminated in the Western Conference Final.

But as such a late bloomer heading into his draft year, Parascak didn’t land the draft acclaim that you’d expect from those stats. He was ranked 15th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and was viewed as a consensus late first-round pick. TSN’s Bob McKenzie’s polling of NHL scouts landed him at No. 25, so Washington pounced on the winger a tad earlier than expected.

That’s because, as Elite Prospects outlines in their 2024 NHL Draft Guide, there are major concerns about his skating and ability to drive play on his own, especially in transition. He struggled to exit his own zone cleanly throughout the season. It’s worth noting that Prince George had two other 100-point players: Wild 2023 second-rounder Riley Heidt (117) and Washington UDFA signing Zac Funk (123), both older than Parascak. They certainly helped bolster his scoring totals.

Parascak will be loaned back to Prince George next season, in all likelihood, bumping the start of his ELC to 2025-26. The 28-year-old is a May 2006 birthday, so Washington can execute that entry-level slide twice.

2024 NHL Draft| Transactions| Washington Capitals Terik Parascak

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