ST. LOUIS – Even though the spotlight was heavily vested on St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington at the 4 Nations Face-Off last week, and with good reason, Colton Parayko also got the experience of his hockey career.
“It was a good experience obviously,” Parayko said Saturday. “Getting to wear the maple leaf is special and then winning is also special. But just in general, a great group of guys, coaching staff and just Hockey Canada in general was great. Given the way the event was run was really good. Overall I had a lot of fun and topped it off obviously with a win.”
It was the experience of a lifetime for the 31-year-old getting to rub elbows with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the rest of Canada’s star-studded lineup.
Not only to rub elbows with such stars, but to pick their brains, learn from them, even in his veteran ways.
“It's good. It's almost, I don't know, I've been here obviously for my career. It's just nice to get some insight on what different players do and how they approach the game and things like that, just broaden your range of how you approach the game and just try to learn, just try to be a sponge while you're there and try to improve your own game and things like that,” Parayko said. “Just watching those guys approach the game, how they do it, what makes them so successful and things like that is a lot of fun and learning from them and different coaches. Great group of guys.
“I think my brother-in-law was talking 2010 Olympics when Crosby scored the overtime goal, how I would have been 16 years old and just where I would have been at the time and all of the sudden I get to play with him. It's special obviously. It's a really cool experience.”
And while some 4 Nations players either got the weekend off for rest, injury or illness-related purposes, Parayko was right back in the fire for the Blues on Saturday, playing 22:41 in a 4-3 shootout loss against the Winnipeg Jets and was in the lineup on Sunday and scored in a 3-1 win against the Colorado Avalanche.
“I'm excited,” Parayko said. “I missed the guys a lot. It's such a great group. Just landing in St. Louis, you're ready to get back and excited to see them all. Ready for the weekend and ready to get back.”
Parayko played most of the tournament with Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey until the Jets’ D-man was sidelined for the championship due to illness; he also missed the matchup against the Blues on Saturday. Parayko played the championship alongside Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim.
“I felt strong and wanted to be steady more than anything,” Parayko said. ‘I wasn't trying to go there and be the player I wasn't. Just tried to play good defense, move the puck up to the forwards. That forward group is very elite. Just like here, get the puck forward as quick as possible, let them kind of advance it and try to join the rush if you have the opportunities. Just mainly try to play steady, just try to play consistent obviously in all those games. I think that was the biggest thing.
“That whole D-core group was really good. We had a lot of interchange with guys getting sick and obviously [Shea] Theodore getting hurt and like that where guys were able to step in. Harley came in and played two games, both against the US where he wasn't sure he was going to play and played really well. Just fun to see the jell of a D-core like that so quick and everything like that. Lots to take from it and keep kind of building on and bringing here.”
It was an eventful tournament for Parayko from teaming up with Binnington, and having a front row to some of the highlight-reel saves made, especially in overtime against USA, to fighting New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller in the first matchup against USA on Feb. 15 after the first two fights within the first three seconds with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk going against Brandon Hagel and Sam Bennett.
“It was going to be an intense game for sure,” Parayko said. “I didn't know those two fights were going to happen right at the beginning and they did obviously. I guess the third one kind of happened. I wasn't sure. We talked a little bit about it. We weren't on the ice at the same time, then he came on after the first fight or two and just kind of happened in the net front there.”
A fight Parayko definitely held his own in.
“I think so, yeah,” Parayko said. “I don't know really. I don't really like to fight to fight, but obviously if someone challenges you, you've got to stick up for yourself and the team.
“Obviously they kind of came in and wanted to start that way. They had whatever you want to call it, but guys were sticking up for each other. Obviously our country, that's obviously big to see as a team. Obviously not the result we wanted in that game, but as the tournament went on and it was great.”
As for big-money Binnington, well, “I've seen that plenty of times. Just confident in him that he's back there. During that time, we had the right guy back there. He's always been an unreal goalie at the right times and just a special goalie. Great to see and happy for him. He was a very big part of everything.”
The save on Brady Tkachuk, even though it wasn’t officially credited as a shot on goal, Parayko had a front row seay for.
“That was impressive,” he said. “Puck was net front, I was trying to clear it out and ended up right on his tape. ‘Binner’ saw it and he made a huge save there and a couple right after. The whole tournament he gave us a chance to win; he was outstanding. Just great to see and he's such a good goalie.”
It wasn’t the Stanley Cup win like 2019, but raising another trophy in the building he won a Stanley Cup in, well, that story writes itself.
“It's a special place for sure I guess for ‘Binner’ and I and obviously for everyone on the '19 Blues,” Parayko said. “It kind of felt similar-ish walking in to a do-or-die game for a championship. It's been a good building and happy to win there.”
Parayko will be a favorite to land a spot on Canada’s Olympic squad in Italy next February, but in the meantime, his focus is on St. Louis and with the Blues.
“I don't know, I just think like this, with my job here and my goal is to put my best foot forward for the St. Louis Blues and do my best here,” he said. “Just kind of what happens organically. There's so many great players, there's so much time, injuries, and what it may be. Guys evolving, guys playing really good hockey. My job here is a process. You can't really worry about the end result of anything. As far as that goes, it's a steppingstone to your own game. My biggest thing is to be the best player for the St. Louis Blues.”