MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Ever since the departure of Alex Pietrangelo in 2020, all eyes have been firmly planted on Colton Parayko as the heir apparent to the No. 1 defenseman position.
Parayko had all the tools. He was part of one of the top shutdown pairs with Jay Bouwmeester and led to perhaps loftier than anticipated expectations.
But things haven't lived up to the hype. Not yet anyway.
The 29-year-old, who began his massive eight-year, $52 million contract this season, didn't have the greatest of years, and it's not just statistically-speaking. His minus-19 was the worst of his thus far eight-year career. But it was a less-than-stellar year for all of the Blues, who finished 37-38-7 this season, far below expectations for not just the player but the team as well.
Parayko, who finished with 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) in 79 games and was healthy enough to play nearly a full schedule for a second straight season after back issues, discusses his season, the disappointment in it as a whole among a variety of topics:
On losing assistant coaches Mike Van Ryn and Craig MacTavish:
Obviously been working with him for five years now, Van Ryn. Obviously a great coach I learned a lot more, very smart hockey-wise, I guess lucky to have had him for five years and obviously part of hockey. That's kind of how it goes, but wish him all the best obviously with whatever kind of goes down the road for him. And then obviously MacTavish was awesome to have around too. Played a long time, knowledgeable, a long-time coach. Just talking to him, he knows the game really well, had a lot of good conversations. Wish him nothing but the best as well.
What happened to defensive play in early part of season that maybe led to seasonal issues:
I don't know, changing a few things up I think. I don't know, things kind of ... I don't know how you want to say it, but five-man unit and I think from our perspective, there was no excuse. I think as a group, we want to look back and make sure that we come prepared and ready. You can kind of look back and start saying different things, if we're in the wrong areas or late to different things or what-not, but overall, I just think not tight enough, not quick enough in the d-zone is probably the main things that I can look back on, especially speaking for myself just being quick to pucks and quick on guys and things like that, just breaking up plays. But it's a five-man unit, we'll work on it and I think we'll be good.
On your personal game:
It was obviously a different year for everyone I think. There's always room for improvement, I know that. I think I just touched on it a little bit last question but just making sure I'm more consistent full time, as much as possible. Obviously 82 games is a lot, it's tough to be at your best for 82 games obviously, but just being as consistent as possible for as many of those games and just be hard to play against and make it difficult, do the best of my ability.
So much is expected from you on defense from coaches and teammates but also the fans and I guess the media, but do you sense that pressure and how do you deal with it?
I don't know. I don't really think it's pressure. After you've been here for a long time, been a part of a lot of good teams and put in a lot of situations and I've had a lot of trust from coaches and stuff like that, it's definitely on me to be the best that I can and play the way that I can. I think with that being said, I don't know, I've just got to keep pushing forward. Frustrating year, we all know that. We know the standard of what the St. Louis Blues are, especially since I've been here and what the standard of myself is. There's definitely time now to make sure that you reflect individually and collectively as a team and make sure that we're prepared for next season and ready to go because I think we know what the standard is here. It's a high standard and it's not fun doing this meeting this early.
Noticeable the San Jose game right before trade deadline and for much of rest of season; what came together that you were so noticeable:
I don't know. I've been thinking a lot too the past couple weeks. I think during the beginning of the year maybe a little bit obviously when it was a little rocky, I think from a personal standpoint I guess, just a lot of trying to think and trying to think and trying to figure things out. I think it's natural when things aren't going right, in hockey or whatever you guys do with writing, anything really, baseball. Just try to figure out why or what you can do better. I think from my standpoint, I was just trying to really almost do too much maybe. Maybe I was trying to think too much of what I could maybe do more and things like this. I feel like hockey's such a fast game, you've just got to play. I think once I just kind of decided I've just got to play a little bit and let things like that just kind of off my back. You kind of think if you hesitate or if you think for half a second, a second, the puck's going the other way. You miss the puck, the guy chips it by. It could be the difference in a goal or something like that. I think just from my standpoint, when I'm playing my best, it's when I'm just playing, as weird as it sounds, but I think not thinking as much, just trusting your instincts. That's when I think I myself am at my best and a lot of players are at their best. You've got to think out there obviously, you've got to see what's going on, but trusting your instincts is key I think.