With the 9th pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Flames have selected Zayne Parekh from Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
About Zayne Parekh
Zayne Parekh had an incredibly productive offensive season, especially for a draft-eligible defenseman. He scored 33 goals and had 63 assists, totalling 96 points in 66 games for the Saginaw Spirit. Parekh led all OHL defensemen in both goals and points, making him a key player for Saginaw, who finished with the league’s second-most points. In addition, he contributed two goals and seven points in seven OHL playoff games. He also performed well at the international level, representing Team Canada at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup last summer, where he accumualted three assists in five tournament games and helped Canada secure the gold medal.
Related: THW’s 2024 Draft Live Tracker
Parekh is one of the most creative defenders in the draft and has excellent playmaking skills. Achieving the kind of offensive numbers and breaking records like he did this season requires exceptional talent and creativity. He is truly like a magician in the offensive zone. His hands and quick feet work seamlessly together. His agility and speed from side to side are impressive, and when you add his quick hands to the mix, OHL defenders find it almost impossible to contain him. He regularly finds a way to elude pressure and consistently manages to move the puck to the middle of the ice after holding possession. Even off the puck, his awareness is outstanding. He anticipates exceptionally well in the offensive zone, frequently disrupting clearing attempts or intercepting outlets to maintain pressure. In simple terms, he is a relentless offensive player.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“His offensive game is only the beginning of Parekh’s arsenal. He has possibly some of the softest and best hands of all the defensemen in this year’s draft class, which has made him getting through the neutral zone on rushes look rather easy. His stickhandling has also come in handy while making quick moves in the offensive zone to make escape-type moves when pressured to give himself more space to make a play in the zone. His strong, smooth skating has also helped factor into his strong play through the neutral zone.
“While Parekh’s offensive game and play with the puck have been massive bright spots in his game, his defensive game is lacking from time to time. He seems to lack a sense of urgency to make plays in his end of the ice and his lackadaisical play has come back to haunt him a few times this season. Even though his smooth skating has been a positive for him, it has also been, at times, nonchalant, creating turnovers and rushes for his opponents. Overall though, Parekh can keep his opponents in check defensively thanks to his good closing speed and stick work while defending.
“He has quarterbacked the Spirit’s top power-play unit, which sits towards the top of the OHL rankings while showcasing his strong passing and playmaking abilities. He has not shied away from shooting the puck either, though, letting his strong shot be on display a lot. He has also taken on roles in all situations for the team, becoming one of their top penalty killers.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Flames’ Plan
The Flames seem to have plenty of talent up front in regards to their prospect pool that are starting to make the jump. However, they lack a high-octane, puck-moving defender as Parekh fits the description of that type of player they need in their system. Every team needs to have one and now the Flames have a dynamic player with some of the best offensive instincts from the backend. They have some steady shut down defenders with size, but they don’t have the swiftness, awareness and ability to find the open lanes like Parekh. His defensive game needs work, but he will definitely do a lot of damage for plenty of seasons.
