Cougars forward Parascak named WHL Rookie of the Month for September/October
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today Prince George Cougars forward Terik Parascak has been named WHL Rookie of the Month for September / October 2023.
Parascak, 17, recorded 29 points (17G-12A) in 14 games to start the season and sits second in WHL scoring behind his teammate Zac Funk, who was named WHL Player of the Month today. Parascak’s 17 goals rank first among all WHL skaters.
The product of Lethbridge, Alta., has been the most unstoppable rookie to start the 2023-24 WHL campaign, named WHL Rookie of the Week on three separate occasions.
Parascak, a 5-foot-11, 179-pound right winger, started the season by securing 12 points (8G-4A) in four consecutive games from Friday, September 22 through Saturday, September 30, including a season-high six-point (4G-2A) outburst Friday, September 29 in an 11-2 win at Victoria.
Through 14 games, Parascak has notched eight multipoint games. Aside from six points on September 29, he has posted three points on five separate occasions, including in three of his previous four games.
Parascak is tied with Funk with two game-winning goals to lead Prince George.
Heading into November, Parascak is riding an active five-game point-scoring streak, having tallied 11 points (5G-6A) since Friday, October 13.
Wednesday, October 25, Parascak was one of eight WHL players given a ‘B’ rating by NHL Central Scouting in its Preliminary Players to Watch List for the 2024 NHL Draft. Players identified with ‘B’ ratings are projected to be second- or third-round candidates in the upcoming draft.
The 2023-24 season represents Parascak’s first full WHL season after he made his debut with the Cougars by skating in four games late in the 2022-23 campaign.
Parascak was originally selected by the Cougars in the fourth round (76th overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.
Heading into November, the Prince George Cougars are first in the WHL with a record of 10-4-0-0. Thanks, in part, to Parascak’s contributions, the Cougars are the highest-scoring team in the WHL with 74 goals-for in 14 games (5.29 goals per game).
The Cougars power play also ranks first in the WHL, having converted on 36.1 per cent of its opportunities. Parascak has converted five power-play goals, and also has two shorthanded goals to his name.
Terik Parascak and the Prince George Cougars return to action Wednesday, November 1 (7 p.m. CT) when they continue their East Division road trip in Brandon.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.