Colton Parayko (born May 12, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in St. Albert, Alberta, Parayko played minor ice hockey with the St. Albert Flyers and Fort McMurray Oil Barons before earning a scholarship to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He went overlooked and undrafted in his first year of NHL eligibility before being selected 86th overall as a 19-year-old in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues. Following the draft, Parayko played three seasons with the Alaska Nanooks, earning All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) First Team and West Second-Team All-American honors. He concluded his collegiate career in 2015 to begin his professional career within the Blues organization. Parayko was immediately reassigned to the Blues' American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, to play out the remainder of the 2014–15 season before finally making his NHL debut the following season. Parayko won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. Parayko competed for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and Team Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Championship. Early life Parayko was born on May 12, 1993, in St. Albert, Alberta, to native Ukrainians Tom and Karen Parayko with three siblings, Kendra, Bryce, and Kennedy. Besides hockey, Parayko and his brother Bryce competed in motocross dirt bikes circuits throughout Alberta. Playing career Youth Growing up, Parayko spent his youth hockey career in his hometown of St. Albert, Alberta while attending Paul Kane High School. After going unselected in the 2008 Western Hockey League (WHL) draft, he signed a contract with the Midget AAA St. Albert Flyers. Following his first season with the Flyers, Parayko joined the St. Albert Crusaders U18 AA where he recorded 13 points in 33 games. The Crusaders finished second in the league and reached the playoff finals against the KC Colts U18 AA. At the conclusion of the 2009–10 season, he experienced a six-inch growth spurt and signed with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). As he was not invited to their initial training camp, Parayko had to spend $60 to try out for the Oil Barons and become their seventh defenceman. While competing for the Oil Barons, Parayko came to the attention of National Hockey League (NHL) scout Marshall Davidson. After seeing Parayko play