Parekh named OHL defenseman of the month.....again.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Difficult to see how Senneke would be ranked ahead of Parekh right now, with Parekh outproducing him. As a defenseman.

Levshunov is a mystery box.

Catton is a tough one - probably on the same tier as Parekh and Buium.

For me it's:

1) Celebini
2) Demidov
3) Parekh, Buium
4) Catton, Senneke, Iginla
5) Dickinson

With Levshunov probably slotting in 3rd, but really difficult to say exactly where he should go.

Levshunov put up 9 points in 10 games in February (10 in 11 going back to Jan 31).

3 goals and lots of primary assists. He's also third in the league for shots by a defender as he likes to rifle it from the point. He'd probably have more points--as a 19 year old in the AHL--if he played on a better team. And he's *only* -4 on a team with a negative goal differential, and where 2022 first rounder, Korchinski, is -26.

It's a quibble, but I think he's probably still in that number 2 discussion; Parekh and Buium may have a better career (hopefully Parekh does!), but Levshunov is having a pretty good season on a mediocre team in a much better league.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by saillias

I read somewhere, the reason Buium fell was draft interviews and word from his representation indicating he only wanted to play in certain markets and he scared away all Canadian teams and some American including SJ at 11.

Correct. Same agent as Cutter Gauthier as well, hence why Philly had zero intention of drafting him and traded the pick to Minnesota.

Drafting Buium would've been a massive risk for many teams.

[Paulie Walnuts]

He is from San Diego wonder why San Jose passed on him as well.

Could have been a Cali connection with him and Macklin.

[SeanCharles]

Parekh as a top 3 in a redraft is not far fetched IMO.

We need to wait a few years to justify doing a redraft analysis however.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Fire

I agree, except if he ends up being a everyday player for the Flames then no reason for him to play in WJC. He would be NHLer at that point. I think if he goes to the WJC it usually means he is headed to Juniors afterwards because he is struggling at the NHL level.

Doesn't have to be though.

If they deem regular NHL practices and a sheltered role where he doesn't play every game is better than another year of OHL hockey then a WJC break from that plan only adds to his development.

And if they send him back after Xmas it's still only a half year instead of a full year in the OHL.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by saillias

I read somewhere, the reason Buium fell was draft interviews and word from his representation indicating he only wanted to play in certain markets and he scared away all Canadian teams and some American including SJ at 11.

We will likely never know, but that is certainly my suspicion. I suspected there was a clear risk of signing him out of the NCAA. I would be surprised he said no to SJ though.

Buium was my top choice and I think he will be the top D man from 2024.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by AustinL_NHL

Correct. Same agent as Cutter Gauthier as well, hence why Philly had zero intention of drafting him and traded the pick to Minnesota.

Drafting Buium would've been a massive risk for many teams.

How long will it be until the pre-draft agent involvement and player demands make the draft irrelevant, and all players are UFAs until they sign a contract with someone?

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

How long will it be until the pre-draft agent involvement and player demands make the draft irrelevant, and all players are UFAs until they sign a contract with someone?

It'll never get to that point and if it gets sillier, which is doubtful, the NHL will introduce higher compensation picks. Even baseball, where players negotiate a signing bonus and very much tell teams not to draft them, the draft is still relevant. If a team likes a player enough, they'll almost always draft him. Millions of dollars in lost earnings is rather motivating.

Personally, I appreciate a player telling Calgary he doesn't want to be drafted by them. If a star player doesn't want to play in Calgary, he likely will pull a Tkachuk and bounce as soon as he can so this avoids that.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

He is from San Diego wonder why San Jose passed on him as well.

Could have been a Cali connection with him and Macklin.

That's like choosing to play for Fort McMurray when you were from Medicine Hat because it's still the same province and someone else who played in Edmonton is now playing for Fort McMurray.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Buff

That's like choosing to play for Fort McMurray when you were from Medicine Hat because it's still the same province and someone else who played in Edmonton is now playing for Fort McMurray.

Sure, if Fort McMurray were San Jose, California…

[Calgary4LIfe]

I think Parekh will make a push for camp. I can see one of these 4 scenarios:


1) He doesn't make the team and returns to the OHL.
2) Looked inconsistent throughout camp and preseason - Flames give him 9 games and then re-evaluate.
3) Makes the team, but ramps ups slowly - plays every 2nd or 3rd game, or the Flames dress 7 defencemen to shelter him.
4) Just makes the team and becomes an everyday NHL'er.



Two further legitimate, but probably less likely options:


1) NCAA: Isn't the NCAA opening up to CHL players? Wouldn't a year of NCAA be an option for him next season? If so, then he could potentially declare and head to the NCAA for a year. He would have to give up trying to make the team this year as the NCAA starts earlier, however. On the flip-side, he could play the NCAA for the first half of the year, play in the world juniors, and then come to the Flames in the 2nd half of the season. Not quite the path that most prospects take, but it is an option that I believe he would be eligible to take.


2) Europe: Comes to camp, but doesn't make the team. Maybe he would be better off going to play in a pro league in Europe for a year rather than OHL again. I am sure he can find a spot, even after the season over there starts. That's another avenue that would probably be better for his development than the OHL, at least arguably so. The one issue I have with that is how much more time and space they have on the big ice versus NHL size.


I think he makes the Flames as the 6th/7th next season anyway, with #1 PP time soon after. He does have options, however.

[indes]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I think Parekh will make a push for camp. I can see one of these 4 scenarios:


1) He doesn't make the team and returns to the OHL.
2) Looked inconsistent throughout camp and preseason - Flames give him 9 games and then re-evaluate.
3) Makes the team, but ramps ups slowly - plays every 2nd or 3rd game, or the Flames dress 7 defencemen to shelter him.
4) Just makes the team and becomes an everyday NHL'er.



Two further legitimate, but probably less likely options:


1) NCAA: Isn't the NCAA opening up to CHL players? Wouldn't a year of NCAA be an option for him next season? If so, then he could potentially declare and head to the NCAA for a year. He would have to give up trying to make the team this year as the NCAA starts earlier, however. On the flip-side, he could play the NCAA for the first half of the year, play in the world juniors, and then come to the Flames in the 2nd half of the season. Not quite the path that most prospects take, but it is an option that I believe he would be eligible to take.


2) Europe: Comes to camp, but doesn't make the team. Maybe he would be better off going to play in a pro league in Europe for a year rather than OHL again. I am sure he can find a spot, even after the season over there starts. That's another avenue that would probably be better for his development than the OHL, at least arguably so. The one issue I have with that is how much more time and space they have on the big ice versus NHL size.


I think he makes the Flames as the 6th/7th next season anyway, with #1 PP time soon after. He does have options, however.

Parekh has already signed an NHL contract so he's ineligible to go the NCAA route.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Saginaw has three games over the weekend (including Thursday)

Thu Barrie
Fri Sudbury
Sun North Bay

They are ranked 7th, 12th and 14th overall, so hardly juggernaughts.

Parekh needs 1.45 points per game to reel in the 103 points.

6 points in the three games moves him to 1.25 points per game for the final 10 games. No points in the three games puts him at 2.00 points per game needed for the final 10 games.

Game one in the books with two points.

He's still on that bolded 6 point weekend pace.

[FBI]

One more goal for 30

[Bingo]

TSN article on Parekh

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/zayne-parekh-...ames-1.2261083

“I think Ryan Lomberg was a guy who left a pretty big impact on me from a personality standpoint and just an unreal person,” said Parekh.

Lomberg joined the Flames for his second stint as an unrestricted free agent after helping the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in last season. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Flames in 2017, Parekh could see the work ethic that Lomberg had to put in to find success at the NHL level."

“He and Backlund won the [fitness] testing, and his pace was impressive right from the start for a guy who had a short summer,” said Parekh. “You could see from his practice habits that he’s a true pro.”

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Bingo

TSN article on Parekh

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/zayne-parekh-...ames-1.2261083

Great article. Also from the article...

Growing up in Nobleton, Ont., one of his hockey heroes was Flames forward Nazem Kadri.

Kadri is one of the few Muslim players in the NHL and became the first Muslim player to win the Stanley Cup when the Colorado Avalanche won in 2022.

Parekh's parents are Canadian with backgrounds from India and South Korea and he views Kadri as a role model on how he can represent his family and his culture.

“He’s someone I always looked up to when I was growing up, “ said Parekh. “I have a picture with him when I was five or six years old. He’s one guy who’s been a really good figure for any kid looking to get into the game.

If Kadri can help develop Parekh he's worth riding out his contract as a Flame.

[looooob]

any time there is a hockey category and the only 2 people in the category are you and Bobby Orr, you have probably done something pretty good

[3rd Degree]

Originally Posted by Bingo

TSN article on Parekh

https://www.tsn.ca/chl/zayne-parekh-...ames-1.2261083

From the article as well:

He believes his shortened off-season due to the Memorial Cup, the NHL Draft Combine, and all the activities surrounding the draft itself left him not as prepared as he would have liked entering his first training camp at the NHL.
“I struggled a bit because I couldn’t get my feet under me and I think I wasn’t prepared enough for what I was getting into,” said Parekh. “I didn’t have enough training going into it due to a shortened off-season. Probably from a physical standpoint I wasn’t ready to begin with, and I was obviously nervous going in.”

More time in the gym to develop physically will only help. If the Flames are not ready to contend next year, I think it makes sense to send him back to the OHL to continue maturing. It won’t somehow ruin him to spend more time honing his craft in the OHL. Maximizing the value of his ELC while the Flames are actually in contention and spending to the cap is an added bonus.

[AustinL_NHL]

Already 2 assists tonight nearing the end of the second.

Didn't even need one more minute before adding another lol make it 3

[FBI]

Is there a way to watch it?