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

[dino7c]

some terrible takes...why even ice a team? They aren't contenders just take the season off

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Exactly, it’s a business. A resource management business. Not a trying not to hurt feelings business. The Flames are the ones in control of managing their asset. This constant rhetoric that if he doesn’t stick with the team he’ll somehow immediately demand to be traded is ridiculous. He’s an intelligent kid as demonstrated by graduating high school at 15. Intelligent people understand the big picture. They typically don’t wine, cry, name call etc. They tackle adversity head on and find a way to turn their dreams into reality.

Apparently you suffer from dyslexia.

Again

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

the nhl is a business for both sides, if he's ready he stays period

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

1. Is there a benefit to the team in bringing him in next year?No, they’re not contenders.

2. Is there a benefit to the team in having him spend another year in the OHL? Yes, maximizes his ELC

3. Is there a benefit to the player’s development by bringing him in next year? Maybe

4. Could there be a downside in rushing him to the NHL before he’s ready? Possibly

5. Would he be stronger by training for another whole year before entering the NHL? Yes

The most logical path for both his development and maximizing value for the team is for him to play 9 games with the Flames next year, get a taste for the speed and physicality, and then go back to Saginaw knowing exactly what he needs to focus on.

One of the positives for the team playing him in Calgary is, possibly having to pay him less after his ELC is up. Waiting that extra year could end up costing them more.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

One of the positives for the team playing him in Calgary is, possibly having to pay him less after his ELC is up. Waiting that extra year could end up costing them more.

This is likely way more valuable as he might get a Jake Sanderson contract and then explode. Play him as soon as his OHL season is done.

[Bingo]

Whatever is best for the player.

I'm equally against holding a player back as I am rushing him to the NHL.

Both can take a % off the ceiling for the player long term.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Saving a year on his ELC needs to not be a factor.

He's a potential franchise player; you decide based on what's best for his development and that alone.
If he ends up expensive, amazing and needs to get paid, good!

[bdubbs]

Anytime you introduce the ELC to the conversation you are no longer arguing about what's best for the player's development. Zayne needs to learn from a higher pace.

You don't just accidentally get 30 goals and 100~ points in back to back seasons.

He's far too good for the OHL at this point so the next 'logical' step is to go to NHL where he can learn from veterans and adjust to the game pace.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

I agree wholeheartedly that playing against men in the AHL would be the best thing for him but that’s not on the table.

The question I ask myself is would he more physically developed next season or the season after?

You hear about players being rushed and losing confidence due to the level of competition. It’s not that I think this is likely but it’s possible.

How is letting him mature for another year before being thrown into lions den hurt him. I don’t see the downside.

Parekh has nothing left to prove in the OHL. Even if he has a poor camp next summer, I think his performance in the OHL has punched his ticket to play in the NHL. The only way I see him going back to the OHL is if HE decides it is the best path forward for him (and I doubt that he would ever hold himself back).

Also, thinking forward to camp, who exactly do you think is going to demonstrate that they deserve the spot more than Parekh? Bean? Pachal? Hanley?

I think it will be incredibly hard to show that he isn't ready to play in our top 6 D and if he shows that he is ready and you send him down anyway then that will destroy the relationship with the player.

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

1. Is there a benefit to the team in bringing him in next year?No, they’re not contenders.

2. Is there a benefit to the team in having him spend another year in the OHL? Yes, maximizes his ELC

3. Is there a benefit to the player’s development by bringing him in next year? Maybe

4. Could there be a downside in rushing him to the NHL before he’s ready? Possibly

5. Would he be stronger by training for another whole year before entering the NHL? Yes

The most logical path for both his development and maximizing value for the team is for him to play 9 games with the Flames next year, get a taste for the speed and physicality, and then go back to Saginaw knowing exactly what he needs to focus on.

1. Yes. Demonstrates loyalty to the player and gets him NHL experience, which is the next logical step after he dominates the OHL. Aligns his position on the new team Core with Wolf.
2. No. Nothing left for him to do in the OHL, this will harm the relationship with the team more than it will help him develop.
3. Yes. He has nothing left to prove in the OHL, his next development step is to go pro.
4. Yes. There is a possible downside to rushing him but you will know in camp if he is ready. There are many 19-20 year olds in the league.
5. Maybe. The NHL has superior training resources. He likely gains very little by staying in a league that does not challenge him but would gain a lot more from entering the NHL and playing sheltered 3rd line minutes with PP2 time.

In the end, your take away from the Team Canada situation is wrong. If Parekh is angry about being snubbed by Team Canada, you can guarantee that he would be angry about being snubbed by the Flames and he wouldn't use that anger to just "get better". He would use it to "get out of the organization".

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Wolven

Parekh has nothing left to prove in the OHL. Even if he has a poor camp next summer, I think his performance in the OHL has punched his ticket to play in the NHL. The only way I see him going back to the OHL is if HE decides it is the best path forward for him (and I doubt that he would ever hold himself back).

Also, thinking forward to camp, who exactly do you think is going to demonstrate that they deserve the spot more than Parekh? Bean? Pachal? Hanley?

I think it will be incredibly hard to show that he isn't ready to play in our top 6 D and if he shows that he is ready and you send him down anyway then that will destroy the relationship with the player.



1. Yes. Demonstrates loyalty to the player and gets him NHL experience, which is the next logical step after he dominates the OHL. Aligns his position on the new team Core with Wolf.
2. No. Nothing left for him to do in the OHL, this will harm the relationship with the team more than it will help him develop.
3. Yes. He has nothing left to prove in the OHL, his next development step is to go pro.
4. Yes. There is a possible downside to rushing him but you will know in camp if he is ready. There are many 19-20 year olds in the league.
5. Maybe. The NHL has superior training resources. He likely gains very little by staying in a league that does not challenge him but would gain a lot more from entering the NHL and playing sheltered 3rd line minutes with PP2 time.

In the end, your take away from the Team Canada situation is wrong. If Parekh is angry about being snubbed by Team Canada, you can guarantee that he would be angry about being snubbed by the Flames and he wouldn't use that anger to just "get better". He would use it to "get out of the organization".

He was snubbed by Team Canada because of crap management (and a little because of his poor start to the season).

If he doesn't make the Flames out of training camp/initial nine games, it'll be because of his performance and him not being ready to play in the best league in the world.

Flames have always been clear with their prospects that they need to earn their roles. If he doesn't make the team, that'll be on him.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We can't judge him from camp either.

Plenty of players have had poor camps, but they show out in games.

Goes back to all those comments during the WJC that he would make a mistake or something. He plays games and he dominates.

[Royle9]

There are some insanely hot takes in here, I trust Craig will do the right thing.

[Calgary4LIfe]

It is a tough argument to have right now. All we know is:

1) Parekh probably is already "too good for the CHL" now. There really isn't much left for him to accomplish at that league.
2) He may or may not be ready for the NHL in October.

I guess we should wait and see. Rushing him can damage him. Keeping him in a league that doesn't challenge and motivate him enough is a waste of a year, and can potentially create friction in that relationship. Plenty of kids aren't shy any longer of asking for a trade out of an organization the instant that they feel slighted. If he is ready, he makes the jump. If he isn't, then I think it complicates things a little, but there will be a logical best path forward for him.

[Bingo]

He can always go back to the OHL if he's over his head.

I'm never the rush the prospect guy, but this player is special and probably deserves a chance to make the team.

But work him him slowly ... assess at the 9 game mark (which would be closer to game 15-20). If you keep him, maybe let him go to the WJC, and then bring him back unless he slid before the tournament.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Manipulating the ELC has never been a thing the Flames have done.

They have signed guys from college so they can burn a year by playing 1 game. They kept up Chucky and Monny at 18.

The only failure was that we didn't get something during the Chucky years, and I see why about Stone.

[FanSince'01]

IMO it would be a different conversation if Parekh was trying to make the team from 4 years ago, where you had a fairly stacked defense and the team was an obvious contender. In that case, sending him down to the OHL for his overage year makes more logical sense as there's a good chance he's not good enough yet to be one of your top 7 on a contending team.

But now? Why on earth would your default be "send him back to the OHL" when there's a good chance he's already our 3rd or 4th best defenseman next year. That makes no sense and sends the wrong message to the player. We talked for years about "always earned, never given" and lamented the Flames doing the exact opposite at times and this would be another case of that.

Sure, if he comes in to camp and shows that he's obviously not ready, send him back. If we do the 9 game trial and he's over his head, send him back. Don't rush to get him to the NHL if he's not ready. But to say we should automatically send him back just because we're not expected to contend is asinine.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by Royle9

There are some insanely hot takes in here, I trust Craig will do the right thing.

I was today years old when I realised "hot" was a synonym for ridiculous...

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

He was snubbed by Team Canada because of crap management (and a little because of his poor start to the season).

If he doesn't make the Flames out of training camp/initial nine games, it'll be because of his performance and him not being ready to play in the best league in the world.

Flames have always been clear with their prospects that they need to earn their roles. If he doesn't make the team, that'll be on him.

Yes, that is how it should be and how I expect Conroy to handle the situation by giving Parekh a spot if he earns it. (Arguably, he has already earned it by blowing the OHL away.)

However, what is being suggested by other posters is trying to play games with Parekh's career to force the team to be worse or some nonsense about trying to extend his ELC regardless of his performance.

Looking at the team now, I hope/expect one of two D cores next season:

Bahl-Weegar
Bean-Pachal
Solovyov-Parekh
X: Kuznetsov

or

Bahl-Andersson
Weegar-Pachal
Solovyov-Parekh
X: Bean

I think the group looks better with Andersson but either way I do not see how Parekh is held off of the roster. You would need all of Bean, Pachal, Solovyov, and Kuznetsov to outperform Parekh for him to not get a shot.

The dark horse move would be if Brzustewicz plays himself into the conversation but then I think that would likely turn into both him and Parekh making the team and forcing a vet like Bean out.

[Groot]

Top-15 Defensive Prospects in the NHL 23 and Under

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/to...son-reinbacher

1. Buium
2. Nikishin
3. Parekh

There was a point where Parekh was on pace for about 85 points this year – which would have still been good, but a step behind his 96 from his draft season. Instead, Parekh is tracking for more than 100 points and a second 30-goal season – simply unheard of these days. Parekh is too good for the OHL at this point, reigniting the conversation about whether or not 19-year-olds should be allowed to play in the American Hockey League. Since he already has his NHL contract, the options are to either make the Flames out of training camp (which isn’t ideal) or send him back to dominate in Saginaw again (which is even less ideal). That’s a testament to just how good Parekh is – he’s the most dynamic, dominant offensive defenseman we’ve seen in the CHL in quite some time.

[jaikorven]

^^^ Still can't believe they rank him 3rd...

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Groot

Top-15 Defensive Prospects in the NHL 23 and Under

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/to...son-reinbacher

1. Buium
2. Nikishin
3. Parekh

"Parekh is tracking for more than 100 points and a second 30-goal season – simply unheard of these days."

"That’s a testament to just how good Parekh is – he’s the most dynamic, dominant offensive defenseman we’ve seen in the CHL in quite some time."

"He's not as good as these other two defencemen though!"



(Admittedly Buium is looking good in the NCAA, just as Nikishin is in the KHL -- two leagues comprised of adults instead of teens. I mean, the K is literally a pro league lol. It just irks me when people are like "omg this guy is better than anyone else, which is why we ranked him third!")