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

[CroFlames]

Lots of bad news elsewhere in the world, and even the Flames don't inspire a ton of joy at the moment.

This kid though. Wow. He does everything perfectly - hard to restrain one's expectations. Freaking thrilled with this pick.

Now if only we had a forward who could put the puck in the net.

[3rd Degree]

Next year, I’d send him back to the OHL to break every scoring record for deffensemen that they have. The following year, I’d send him to the AHL to play top pairing minutes until he proved that he can be as dominant against men, then I’d move him up to the NHL. In this scenario he’s 23-24 when his ELC expires. Before that happens, you sign him to an 8 year deal. This way you have him under control for all of his prime years and in his 1st year in the NHL, you get the most physically developed version of him. Ie stronger than the 18 or 19 yo version.

What is a better path than this and most importantly, why?

[3rd Degree]

The other factor to keep in mind is how he responds to adversity. Look at what he’s done since the team Canada snub? Imagine what a motivated Parekh will do to the league after being fully baked in the OHL and AHL.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Next year, I’d send him back to the OHL to break every scoring record for deffensemen that they have. The following year, I’d send him to the AHL to play top pairing minutes until he proved that he can be as dominant against men, then I’d move him up to the NHL. In this scenario he’s 23-24 when his ELC expires. Before that happens, you sign him to an 8 year deal. This way you have him under control for all of his prime years and in his 1st year in the NHL, you get the most physically developed version of him. Ie stronger than the 18 or 19 yo version.

What is a better path than this and most importantly, why?

Hi Darryl

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Next year, I’d send him back to the OHL to break every scoring record for deffensemen that they have. The following year, I’d send him to the AHL to play top pairing minutes until he proved that he can be as dominant against men, then I’d move him up to the NHL. In this scenario he’s 23-24 when his ELC expires. Before that happens, you sign him to an 8 year deal. This way you have him under control for all of his prime years and in his 1st year in the NHL, you get the most physically developed version of him. Ie stronger than the 18 or 19 yo version.

What is a better path than this and most importantly, why?

The ELC starts the year he would be in the AHL anyway.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Next year, I’d send him back to the OHL to break every scoring record for deffensemen that they have. The following year, I’d send him to the AHL to play top pairing minutes until he proved that he can be as dominant against men, then I’d move him up to the NHL. In this scenario he’s 23-24 when his ELC expires. Before that happens, you sign him to an 8 year deal. This way you have him under control for all of his prime years and in his 1st year in the NHL, you get the most physically developed version of him. Ie stronger than the 18 or 19 yo version.

What is a better path than this and most importantly, why?

He comes in next year, and we sign him when his ELC expires to a fair deal, and he outperforms that deal. That is likely what is going to happen.

Can't see the Flames playing games just to make sure they can keep his rights.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Zayne POrrekh.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Next year, I’d send him back to the OHL to break every scoring record for deffensemen that they have. The following year, I’d send him to the AHL to play top pairing minutes until he proved that he can be as dominant against men, then I’d move him up to the NHL. In this scenario he’s 23-24 when his ELC expires. Before that happens, you sign him to an 8 year deal. This way you have him under control for all of his prime years and in his 1st year in the NHL, you get the most physically developed version of him. Ie stronger than the 18 or 19 yo version.

What is a better path than this and most importantly, why?

Because this...

Originally Posted by Groot

If your goal is cap savings and extending his ELC as long as possible, it may actually work against the team in that regard.

Quinn Hughes signed a 6 x 7.85 contract after putting up 41 points in 56 games with -24 in his D+3 season. The following season he had 68 points in 76 games and was +10. What would his contract look like after that season? Now his contract is a massive discount for the Canucks during their supposed window (lol).

Let the players play wherever is best for the team and the development of the player. Lock up your young players for as long as possible, as quick as possible, for as cheap as possible.

And this...

Originally Posted by Groot

Because he has dominated that league for 2 years now. And dominated in a way that a defenseman hasn't done forever.

Parkeh is 6' and 185lbs.
Makar is 6' and 187lbs.
QuInn Hughes is 5'10 and 180lbs.
Adam Fox is 5'11 and 180lbs.

Parekh doesn't need to develop physically. He's also incredibly smart. How many prospects graduated high school at 15? He's spent the last 4 years training to be a Pro as he hasn't had the same restraints of class as his peers.

He belongs on the Flames next year.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

That's fair to say. I get the impression Chicago preferred Levshunov because they viewed him as having a higher floor than the others – a safe pick.

I'm a big believer in the value of offensive defencemen. Paul Coffey found his offensive game as a sophomore in 1981-82, and that same year, Gretzky went from 164 points to 212. For six years Coffey scored a point per game or more for the Oilers, and for those same six years Gretzky scored 180 points or more each season. After Coffey was traded, Gretzky never matched that pace again.

I have very little doubt Parekh is going to help some NHL teammate score an extra 20 or 30 points a year. Every forward looks better when he has someone that skilled behind him to feed him the puck. A lot of hockey people seem to think differently, and would rather have a safe all-round defenceman than an offensive machine. So they draft guys like Levshunov instead.

When you have an offensive talent like that on the blue line, it’s much harder to line match against.

You can’t match a forward on a D for 25 minutes a night, and the D will start every draw with 20+ feet of separation.

Elite offensive players don’t need that much space.

[3rd Degree]

Will the Flames be in contention next year? No. Then, what benefit is there to the team in having him with them next year?

By maximizing his time in the OHL and then having him spend time (hopefully very little) in the AHL you get as close to a finished product as you can get entering the NHL.

Then, when it’s time to sign him, you may have to pay more but that’s only because he’s worth more and he’s proven at the NHL level for 2 years. There will be less guesswork in determining his worth.

I still haven’t heard a logical reason to bring him up to a Flames team that we can all agree will not be in contention for the cup next year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Will the Flames be in contention next year? No. Then, what benefit is there to the team in having him with them next year?

By maximizing his time in the OHL and then having him spend time (hopefully very little) in the AHL you get as close to a finished product as you can get entering the NHL.

Then, when it’s time to sign him, you may have to pay more but that’s only because he’s worth more and he’s proven at the NHL level for 2 years. There will be less guesswork in determining his worth.

I still haven’t heard a logical reason to bring him up to a Flames team that we can all agree will not be in contention for the cup next year.

Why do we have to be in contention for him to play for us?

Zero benefit for sending him back. He has back-to-back 30 goal seasons and will put up 100 points. He has nothing left to accomplish in the OHL.

He needs to learn to play in the NHL and get touches here. Needs to be around the young guys he will hopefully grow with like Zary and Coronato.

[stemit14]

I could see it being a case of Parekh making the decision for them… either way. If he has a fantastic camp and if he keeps that going through the start of the season, he’ll be on the team. If he doesn’t, then he’ll get to dominate the OHL one more time and represent team Canada at the world juniors. He will likely be as polished a young offensive defenceman can be for the start of the 2026-2027 season. Think how exciting the 2026-2027 season would be if the flames somehow won the draft lottery this year and got to draft Misa and got to draft in the top of the draft in 2026. In that scenario: Parekh, Misa and their 2026 pick could all potentially make the team out of camp in the 2026-2027 season (if Parekh and/or Misa didn’t make the team in 2025).

[3rd Degree]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Why do we have to be in contention for him to play for us?

Zero benefit for sending him back. He has back-to-back 30 goal seasons and will put up 100 points. He has nothing left to accomplish in the OHL.

He needs to learn to play in the NHL and get touches here. Needs to be around the young guys he will hopefully grow with like Zary and Coronato.

Why I think it makes sense to delay his promotion to the NHL if the Flames aren’t contending is two fold:

1. You increase the time he is in NHL on his ELC while the Flames are contending. Allowing the Flames to get more value from the team while spending to the cap in the last year or two of his ELC. Teams are better when they have players outperforming their contracts.

2. If you’re not competing for the cup, why bring a good player in that will help you finish in the middle of the pack instead of near the bottom?

I’m not suggesting to tank as I believe trying to lose creates losers. However, if you don’t add a skilled player to the team, that team will finish lower in the standing.

Imagine if Wolf was in the AHL right now. We’d be drafting in the top 5.


My philosophy on team building is very simple. Pick a lane. Either be great or be terrible. Constantly hanging around the middle makes it very difficult to build a powerhouse.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Why I think it makes sense to delay his promotion to the NHL if the Flames aren’t contending is two fold:

1. You increase the time he is in NHL on his ELC while the Flames are contending. Allowing the Flames to get more value from the team while spending to the cap in the last year or two of his ELC. Teams are better when they have players outperforming their contracts.

2. If you’re not competing for the cup, why bring a good player in that will help you finish in the middle of the pack instead of near the bottom?

I’m not suggesting to tank as I believe trying to lose creates losers. However, if you don’t add a skilled player to the team, that team will finish lower in the standing.

Imagine if Wolf was in the AHL right now. We’d be drafting in the top 5.


My philosophy on team building is very simple. Pick a lane. Either be great or be terrible. Constantly hanging around the middle makes it very difficult to build a powerhouse.

Point 1 is fair, but we don't really have anyone to spend money on outside of our upcoming RFA group.

I don't know if he will enough of an impact right away to keep us from the finishing low.

The flipside is that he is one of the players getting paid the big money, and we are bringing along some good talent behind him that are on their ELC.

Kind of like with Chucky, but we didn't capitalize on that. WE spend our cap space on Brouwer and Neal.

[saillias]

If you send him back it has to be because he's not ready. If it's some scheme to maximize cap space at the right time, it will be hard to justify, and you run the risk of him asking for a trade. don't try to overthink things

[Groot]

Originally Posted by 3rd Degree

Why I think it makes sense to delay his promotion to the NHL if the Flames aren’t contending is two fold:

1. You increase the time he is in NHL on his ELC while the Flames are contending. Allowing the Flames to get more value from the team while spending to the cap in the last year or two of his ELC. Teams are better when they have players outperforming their contracts.

2. If you’re not competing for the cup, why bring a good player in that will help you finish in the middle of the pack instead of near the bottom?

I’m not suggesting to tank as I believe trying to lose creates losers. However, if you don’t add a skilled player to the team, that team will finish lower in the standing.

Imagine if Wolf was in the AHL right now. We’d be drafting in the top 5.

My philosophy on team building is very simple. Pick a lane. Either be great or be terrible. Constantly hanging around the middle makes it very difficult to build a powerhouse.

1. Why would you potentially upset your top prospects by forcing them to stay away from the NHL for 2 extra years just so you can may save some cap.space years from now when the cap will be $115M+?

If Wolf was in the AHL right now maybe he'd be stewing and figuring out the fastest path back to the US.

2. If the goal is to eventually finish higher in the standings, why stunt a top prospects development by forcing him to play below his level?

Nobody is trying to constantly hang around the middle. We have a true #1 goalie and should for the next decade. We have one of the most exciting prospects in the league doing things a defenseman hasn't done since Bobby Orr. We have a pipeline full of very good prospects that could become impact NHLers with maybe a star in the mix, thanks to a great 2024 draft by the scouting team. We have 4 1st round picks and 9 picks in the first 3 rounds next 2 years, before potentially adding any more.

Trust the management and do what's best for the player which is in turn best for the team. Don't try and make development decisions based on trying to finish lower in the standings or future hypothetical cap space.

[3rd Degree]

Picture him a year older, a year stronger, and pissed off that he didn’t make the team in 25-26. To use an NFL term, we may get our own version of “Angry Tom”. Hopefully by 26-27 we’re ready to compete but in the worst case, we’ll be closer than we will be next year.

[Paulie Walnuts]

I am picturing him asking for a trade if we purposely piss him off in the hopes of extending his ELC.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

I am picturing him asking for a trade if we purposely piss him off in the hopes of extending his ELC.

Yeah he took the WJC Canada snub so well, definitely no ill will there....

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Groot

Yeah he took the WJC Canada snub so well, definitely no ill will there....

Another great trait about the player. He cares and does something about it.