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

[Groot]

When people say "don't rush him up so you don't burn through his cheap ELC years" then isn't the opposite simply "force him to stay in the OHL so you can save his cheap ELC years".

Don't make developmental decisions for arguably the best prospect the organization has seen in decades, based on ELC years. Make it based on what's best for the development of the player.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by getbak

The problem is, that's not an available option. The only choices are NHL or OHL -- for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Oh I know. Sucks cause I think it's the perfect option. That's why I said given the options, the best thing for his development will be the NHL (not the OHL).

[3rd Degree]

If you want to win in the short term, and help our picks be worse, you bring him up.

If you want to draft as high as possible for a few years and then compete with a bunch of studs on elcs, you send him back to junior for two years.

Defensemen typically take longer to develop as well. Let him master the defensive side before his elc kicks in.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by getbak

The problem is, that's not an available option. The only choices are NHL or OHL -- for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Think Brzustewicz is AHL eligible this year, late November birthday

[Bubba17]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Monny. Bennett. Tkachuk. All the last high picks played right away. Bennett was injured but he played in the playoffs.

Agree. This story spouted all the time, along with Edwards not wanting to retain money or spend money need to go away. Flames spend to the cap all the time and fire coaches as much as the Oilers and continue to pay them.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Bingo Jr.

I read somewhere earlier that it's either CHL or NHL for him, with some clause in play preventing the AHL for 18 and 19 year old seasons. Can anyone confirm this?

18 year olds can play in the AHL unless a CHL team holds their rights, which in this case a CHL team obviously holds his rights. The only way to get him into the AHL would be to somehow get his CHL to relinquish his rights, which almost certainly would never happen.

Although somehow the Flames were able to put Kylington in the AHL when he was still 18 even though the Brandon Wheat Kings owned his CHL rights. I am not sure exactly what transpired there.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bingo Jr.

I read somewhere earlier that it's either CHL or NHL for him, with some clause in play preventing the AHL for 18 and 19 year old seasons. Can anyone confirm this?

Yes. A player drafted out of the CHL can only be sent to the AHL if one of the following is true:

• The player has played at least 4 seasons in the CHL.
• The player's 20th birthday will occur before the end of the calendar year in which the season began.
• The player's CHL team is not currently actively playing (usually meaning the team's season has ended, but during COVID, Wolf was able to play a few games for the Heat before Everett's season started).

Also, once a player is returned to Junior, he can't be recalled to the pros except on an emergency recall until his Junior season is over.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

18 year olds can play in the AHL unless a CHL team holds their rights, which in this case a CHL team obviously holds his rights. The only way to get him into the AHL would be to somehow get his CHL to relinquish his rights, which almost certainly would never happen.

Although somehow the Flames were able to put Kylington in the AHL when he was still 18 even though the Brandon Wheat Kings owned his CHL rights. I am not sure exactly what transpired there.

Kylington never played for the CHL. He was in the HockeyAllsvenskan league in Sweden (behind the SHL).

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Groot

Kylington never played for the CHL. He was in the HockeyAllsvenskan league in Sweden (behind the SHL).

I didn't realize you had to play games. I thought it was just if a CHL team held their rights. Good to know.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Although somehow the Flames were able to put Kylington in the AHL when he was still 18 even though the Brandon Wheat Kings owned his CHL rights. I am not sure exactly what transpired there.

The CHL agreement only applies to players who were drafted out of the CHL. Kylington was drafted out of Sweden, so the CHL agreement didn't apply.

The same thing happened with Yan Kuznetsov. He was drafted out of the NCAA, so he could be sent to the AHL to start of his first pro season. Ultimately, they decided to send him to the Q, but that wasn't required.

[FlamesAddiction]

There was one scouting report that I saw which said Parekh needs to keep his head up more because he has a tendency to get hit hard quite often. Something else to consider before putting him in a men's league.

[Tuco]

Let's see this stud make the team out of camp. You know that's his goal this summer!

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Saginaw won the Memorial cup!.....(in as hosts mind you)

Saginaw was the Host team, but they lost in the third round to London - they were legit in their own right.

[sureLoss]

Damn this is a sweet pic:

[icarus]

Originally Posted by jg13

https://twitter.com/user/status/1806905042978410773

What the hell did I just watch? That's mind-blowing.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by icarus

What the hell did I just watch? That's mind-blowing.

are you kidding me! You cant do that! 😂

But damn that slick idea to change sides shows just how smart a player he is.

[GullFoss]

This guy seems really teachable, mature and driven given his insane hockey sense, non-hockey sense, academics, etc. In a lot of ways, that makes him more ready than all the other guys who make the NHL at age 18.

Even if he's not fully ready for big minutes, there's a huge argument for him to stay with the team and just learn from the pros on the team.

- sheltered minutes 5-on-5 (10 mins)
- PP opportunity (4 mins)
- 3 vs 3 overtime
= 14 mins per game

Good enough to stay up IMO.

[3rd Degree]

Would keeping him up as an 18yo be the best way to maximize his value to the flames long term?

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Would keeping him up as an 18yo be the best way to maximize his value to the flames long term?

Lots of game theory involved in that answer, so don’t believe anyone who simply says yes or no.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Even if Parekh is ready- you still send him down for this upcoming year atleast just for the ELC slide. He’ll also get to play for Canada as well.

Sure, let's put a bad taste in his mouth for a year of his ELC , if he's ready he stays and if the team as expected is going nowhere you loan him to hockey Canada but you don't send him back to junior for a stupid reason.

I hope after the last couple of years the team learned about the importance for building a good relationship with their young stars.