Quote:
Originally Posted by kehatch
I know Parekh had a historic season in the OHL and looked fantastic in his 1 NHL game. I also know its either the CHL or NHL next season, and he has nothing left to prove in the CHL. But the kid is going to be 19 to start next season.
Do we have any recent examples of D breaking into the NHL as as a teenager? Owen Powers did it as the 1 OA. Korchinksi did in his first season, but bounced between the AHL and NHL last season. It happens, but its really rare. Even rarer where it turns out for the better.
I don't think its as much of a certainty as some suggest that Parekh is in the NHL next season. Another season in the OHL isn't going to hurt him. Burning a year and rushing him to the NHL might.
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I posted it in another thread but I think Schneider from the Rangers (selected 19th OA) is a good baseline. He is now 23 and finished his 4th season but his first season was at 19 years old and he played 43 games.
Looks like Guhle (MTL) had a similar on ramp of 44 games in his 1st season as a 20yo. Harley (DAL) had 34 games in 2021-22.
Sanderson (OTT) is a bit of an outlier where he played 70 games in his first season as a 20yo.
If I were coaching Parekh, my plan would be to get his 9 games in and see if he struggles (expecting he won't) and then aim for him to play half the season but with the runway for him to play most/all of the season if he shows he can handle it.
As for the left side, I would be putting that through the blender often to see who rises to the occasion. I would love to get to something like this:
Kuznetsov-Weegar
Bahl-Parekh
Solovyov-Pachal
Not that I think Kuznetsov is a top pair guy, but if Weegar is so good that he can make Hanley look serviceable as a top 4 guy after claiming him from waivers, then perhaps Weegar could do that for Kuznetsov or Poirier too.