Edmonton Oil Kings Defenceman & Canucks Prospect Parker Alcos Focused On Adding Tools To His Game During His Second WHL Season

At the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Vancouver Canucks used the 189th overall pick to select Edmonton Oil Kings' defenceman Parker Alcos. Listed at 6'3", 178 lbs, the Port Moody, BC-born right-shot defenceman just finished his rookie season in the WHL, recording 15 points in 67 games. Known for his work in the defensive zone, Alcos is looking to become just the fourth player from Port Moody to skate in an NHL game.

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Being from BC, Alcos grew up a big Canucks fan. This included cheering on the team during some of their best years both at home and inside Rogers Arena. Now, as a member of the organization, Alcos is excited to learn from the players he watched growing up.

"It's pretty cool," said Alcos. "Watching them since I was born and always wearing a jersey, going to their games, it's pretty cool to put on a jersey of my own... Watching them growing up, going to all the playoff games when I was younger. It was really cool to finally play with them, and it was a dream come true. I think it was just trying to be a sponge and hook up all the information I can to help improve my own development and just, overall, be a better hockey player."

The 2024-25 campaign is Alcos' second full season in the WHL. On pace to set a new career high in points, Alcos looks more comfortable on the ice this year and is ready to take his game to the net level. As Alcos explains, the bump in confidence has a lot to do with the leadership he was surrounded by last season.

"I think confidence is the biggest key that I've added so far. Last year, being my first year, was kind of tough. Luckily, I had a good 20-year-old veteran defenseman. Mark (Lajoie), I was able to play with him pretty much the whole year. He helped me a lot through the ups and downs."

Last season was not an easy one for Alcos. Edmonton spent the season rebuilding, which meant they missed the playoffs and made quite a few roster moves. Fast-forward to this season, and while the Oil Kings aren't finished with their rebuild, the team looks a lot stronger and, as Alcos explains, ready to take the next step in their development.

Related: Vancouver Canucks Select Parker Alcos 189th Overall In The 2024 NHL Entry Draft

"It's tough going through the lows. Guys coming in and out, changing the lineup, changing different special teams, and just overall change. It's pretty tough to go through. So far, we've settled in this year. We've been doing pretty good, and we've kind of found our chemistry, who we play well with, and what plays work, which don't work. Overall, just trying to get better every day and help us succeed throughout the year."

When asked, Alcos described himself as a two-way defenceman who plays a simple game. This is a good assessment of his game, as he is strong in the defensive zone and can deliver accurate breakout passes that can create offensive chances. As Alcos explains, the next step in his development includes becoming stronger in the offensive zone and contributing more to the scoresheet.

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"I think the biggest thing for me to add will be my offensive impact on the game. Being able to be more offensive, be more of a threat in the O zone. I feel like the D zone, I'm pretty defensive and pretty good overall, but I think in the offensive zone, I should be able to get more pucks on net and make better plays to our forwards to have a better chance of scoring."

Being so close to Vancouver also means that Alcos can stay in contact with the organization regularly. This includes calls with Mike Komisarek, who is part of the player development team. According to Alcos, these calls are very helpful as they ensure he and the organization are on the same page regarding his development.

"I'm speaking with Komisarek quite often. Watching games, and they give you overall feedback, which is, which is awesome. They like to see my overall offensive game and gaining more size and muscle being a bigger factor.

Alcos is an intriguing prospect because of the tools he has already developed. He is a physical defenceman who is strong in his own zone and fits a need as a right-shot defender. While he may not be the flashiest prospect in the system, Alcos has the potential to develop into a solid late-round find by Vancouver.