When the St. Louis Blues let Alex Pietrangelo walk in free agency in 2020, the main focus was on Torey Krug since that was the direct replacement in terms of outgoing vs. incoming. However, the Blues were basing it more on the idea that Colton Parayko was ready to step into that top defenseman role.
Krug, unfortunately, did not pan out as a partner for Parayko. However, Parayko has filled the shoes pretty well.
Of course, there are plenty of people out there who will debate whether he's as good as Pietrangelo, and that's a fair argument to have. It is hard to deny that Parayko has definitely proven himself, when fully healthy, to be a very good top-pair defenseman.
Regardless of where you'd rank him, most fans in St. Louis realize the talent he has and the value he brings to the team. The team realizes it, too, since they hung onto him even when trade rumors swirled a couple of seasons ago.
Outside the Blues fandom, the reaction to Parayko is incredibly mixed. According to a list compiled by NHL Network, Parayko is not in the top 20 of defenseman overall.
Even on its face, this is puzzling. Not every single playoff team is automatically better than a non-playoff team in every aspect, but the Blues made the playoffs in 2024-25, thus being one of the top 16 teams in the league. Somehow, the top defender on a playoff team is not considered among the top defenders in the league, meaning (statistically) every playoff team plus another five teams have better top defenders? Unlikely.
Adding to that confusion is the fact that EA Sports agrees more with Blues fans than they do NHL Network. They have Parayko ranked as the fifth-best right-handed defenseman in the entire league.
Even if you take into consideration that the top 10 left-handed D-men are rated higher, that would still place Parayko around 15th in the league.
Additionally, you start entering nitpicky territory with some of this. Charlie McAvoy is a good player, but would Blues fans trade the size of Parayko, who scores as many or more goals, just for the addition of a few extra assists per year? I wouldn't.
Or look at Roman Josi. Again, a big-time point producer, but I would personally rather have an actual defenseman. Parayko has more blocks, hits, and fewer turnovers than Josi. Does that cancel out all the offense the Predators' defenseman brings? Not at all, but it showcases that it's not always apples to apples.
Ultimately, much of it boils down to your own personal preference. I grew up in a time when defensemen were defenders, and I idolized Scott Stevens, who barely put up any points but was a force.
So, I will always prioritize actual defending and having a guy who is 6'6 and has the stride length to keep up with speedsters like Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon. I am also reminded of something Chris Kerber said when all the trade rumors were swirling - if you trade a guy like Parayko, you're immediately looking for a guy like Parayko. Having size and relative speed are things that just don't come along very much.
I have no contention with people who think Cale Makar or Adam Fox, or Quinn Hughes are better overall. It's hard to contend with offensive ability like that.
To tell me there are 20 or more better defensemen in the NHL than Colton Parayko stretches the imagination.