[News] With the 9th OA pick, Flames select D Zayne Parekh

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

He’s not Makar.

Well he is more accomplished than Makar was during his draft year. Never know.

[flamesgod]

I’m betting he does a 9 game tryout and sticks. Very excited to watch him play.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Well he is more accomplished than Makar was during his draft year. Never know.

This is exactly it.
If you want to be technical and accurate he’s actually better than Makar was at the same age, like a lot better.

Now will he translate it the same? We don’t know.
But there’s definitely a very good chance he pops.

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

I’m betting he does a 9 game tryout and sticks. Very excited to watch him play.

I feel like there’s no reason to burn his first year of his ELC when we’re gonna miss the playoffs. Let him marinate in the O for at least another year. Zero reason to rush him

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by sch19lks

I feel like there’s no reason to burn his first year of his ELC when we’re gonna miss the playoffs. Let him marinate in the O for at least another year. Zero reason to rush him

I’m in this boat as well, after giving it some more thought today - in a year when they need to finish bottom 10 or lose their 1st to Montreal, give him his 9 games and send him back to junior to get stronger.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I’m in this boat as well, after giving it some more thought today - in a year when they need to finish bottom 10 or lose their 1st to Montreal, give him his 9 games and send him back to junior to get stronger.

What happens if he if the Flames go 7-2 and he gets 8 or 9pts in those games?

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

What happens if he if the Flames go 7-2 and he gets 8 or 9pts in those games?

Say “ that’s great kid but you need to put more muscle on your body”

Send him back

Continue the plan and realistically understand that even with a 7-2 start our team is in the first year of a rebuild and not stray from the plan.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Say “ that’s great kid but you need to put more muscle on your body”

Send him back

Continue the plan and realistically understand that even with a 7-2 start our team is in the first year of a rebuild and not stray from the plan.

The only way I even consider pivoting from a rebuild is if Huberdeau puts up 12 points in those first 9 games and looks like a star. Otherwise use the 7-2 streak to sell high on the remaining players.

[Finger Cookin]

There's zero reason for Parekh to miss any junior hockey this season. if his development continues and he's absolutely lights out in junior, *maybe* you have a decision on burning a year of his ELC at the end of this season. No sense in rushing him right away to start this season though.

[My2Cents]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

What happens if he if the Flames go 7-2 and he gets 8 or 9pts in those games?

We celebrate and laugh at all the teams that drafted before us?

Then send him down because for the first time in a long time this franchise is chasing long term goals, not short term ones.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Well he is more accomplished than Makar was during his draft year. Never know.

Yeah but I am not holding my breath, Makar is almost generational. They don’t come often

Parekh can still be a very good #1 dman without being Makar

[Monahammer]

Who does he pair up with at first on our back end? Pachal perhaps?

[Tacoman]

The counter point is that with how much he dominated in the OHL this year, how much more can he develop in that league? Playing against boys may not be the best thing for him.

[Monahammer]

Almost feels like hanifin would have been a perfect partner. Oh well.
I guess Bahl might be the one?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Parekh may have something to say about being sent down. It will be really hard to send him back if he comes in and puts up really impressive numbers while not looking overwhelmed physically or defensively during camp/preseason. Then he earns a few regular season games, and he keeps performing well for those 9. You can't send him down. Creating that kind of a rift when he obviously makes the team is not worth it.


However, I definitely hope he does get sent down. The contract value between his ELC and his next deal (assuming he does really well) might be as large as 7 million/yr. Why waste all of those savings on the rebuilding years? Also gives the Flames a bit less flexibility, as there may be good opportunities to sign a short-deal defencemen to help steady the 2nd pairing, and who can be flipped at the deadline. Perhaps a bad cap deal player who can contribute in the same way that the Flames can take a sweetener on for assuming the contract, and flip him at the deadline for additional picks. Teams are always trying to sneak players through the waiver wire - Flames can snag a young defencemen from a team with a lot of good depth that he can't crack, but has done a lot of developing already. That's the kind of opportunities that Conroy is going to look for, and so it doesn't make any sense to keep Parekh on the team now.


That is, unless he makes the case for himself that he is here to stay. If he does, you just can't send him down without damaging that relationship, in my opinion anyway. Cross that bridge when we get there, but I would assume he isn't NHL ready anyway. Makar, Hughes, Fox - they all needed at least an extra season. I would assume he does as well.

[transplant99]

Gotta be careful with guys this young, as many success stories of 18 YO players who came into the show and succeeded, there are far more where the road is littered with their corpses.

Its a lot of factors.

Maturity both mental and physical are the most important IMO. No idea where this young mans head is in this regard, but will clearly need to add some bulk.

No one ever got worse by playing their 19 YO season in major junior, while becoming better in the weaker areas of their game and working on filling out their frame to their real playing weight.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

I’m betting he does a 9 game tryout and sticks. Very excited to watch him play.

Defenseman take a long time to season and be actually ready. We have always given the dumpster fire up north grief for rushing prospects into the lineup (Broberg, Holloway and casts of others over the years) to soon.

I would like to see him have one more season in the OHL and then one season in the AHL before he makes the step to a full time NHL’er. This kid is likely going to have a long career and want to make sure it gets set in motion properly.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Parekh may have something to say about being sent down. It will be really hard to send him back if he comes in and puts up really impressive numbers while not looking overwhelmed physically or defensively during camp/preseason. Then he earns a few regular season games, and he keeps performing well for those 9. You can't send him down. Creating that kind of a rift when he obviously makes the team is not worth it.


However, I definitely hope he does get sent down. The contract value between his ELC and his next deal (assuming he does really well) might be as large as 7 million/yr. Why waste all of those savings on the rebuilding years? Also gives the Flames a bit less flexibility, as there may be good opportunities to sign a short-deal defencemen to help steady the 2nd pairing, and who can be flipped at the deadline. Perhaps a bad cap deal player who can contribute in the same way that the Flames can take a sweetener on for assuming the contract, and flip him at the deadline for additional picks. Teams are always trying to sneak players through the waiver wire - Flames can snag a young defencemen from a team with a lot of good depth that he can't crack, but has done a lot of developing already. That's the kind of opportunities that Conroy is going to look for, and so it doesn't make any sense to keep Parekh on the team now.


That is, unless he makes the case for himself that he is here to stay. If he does, you just can't send him down without damaging that relationship, in my opinion anyway. Cross that bridge when we get there, but I would assume he isn't NHL ready anyway. Makar, Hughes, Fox - they all needed at least an extra season. I would assume he does as well.

I think Parekh is pretty reasonable on his upcoming year. I don’t think there should be any concern on the relationship. He sounds like a very well grounded kid.

I’m paraphrasing but when speaking with Steinberg, I believe it was Stienberg, Parekh said his goal was to make the team out of camp. He said that should be the goal of any player drafted on Friday but he needs to be realistic too. He knows, full well, that it’s likely he goes down. It sounded like his goal is to get hid 9 games.

Should be a good year for Parekh. I see no reason to rush him whatsoever. If he plays well in camp, he can get his first taste but I’d be equally as excited to see what he can do at the WJC’s. could be the first time in a while the Flames have a couple players on that squad. And in Parekh’s case, a significant one.

[keenan87]

I am thinking Parekh goes to the minors next season and then will make the team in 2025.

Parekh and our top #3 pick from the 2025 draft.

Now, that will make for an exciting season and get people back in the building if that is a concern.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by keenan87

I am thinking Parekh goes to the minors next season.

Not an option. Drafted out of the CHL, rules dictate he sticks in the NHL or goes back to junior for his 18 and 19 year old season.