Flames’ Zayne Parekh using original World Juniors snub as motivation

Credit: Zayne Parekh (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)

OTTAWA – Zayne Parekh found himself sitting around Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Tuesday when he should have been in Ottawa instead.

But with too much fog at Ottawa International Airport, planes weren’t able to land, keeping many of the top Canadian World Junior Championship candidates off the ice for opening practice.

For Parekh, a Calgary Flames prospect, it was yet another obstacle to deal with. When Hockey Canada announced their initial 32-man roster for selection camp, Parekh wasn’t on it despite putting up some tremendous numbers.

“I was a bit devastated because every kid wants to represent their country at the highest stage,” Parekh told the media Wednesday morning. “I thought I put myself in a good spot, too.”

But an injury to Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Harrison Brunicke meant Parekh will have a shot to make the final roster when the team gets named on Friday evening. Parekh is one of 10 defenders on the squad, with the team eligible to bring up to eight to the main event later this month.

At first glance, most were shocked not to see Parekh even invited to camp. He was selected ninth overall just a few months back and has played for Hockey Canada at various events. But many scouts saw the backlog of puck-moving defenders – including a few older, more experienced options – and wondered where the fit would be.

The surplus of puck-movers included Tanner Molendyk and Sam Dickinson. There’s plenty of power-play stalwarts, too. It almost made Parekh a bit redundant, even if the pure talent has always been there. You saw the skill with the puck from the get-go as an OHL rookie in 2022-23. He had 21 goals as a 16-year-old – it was the most goals scored by a U-17 defenseman in OHL history, besting the likes of Ryan Ellis and Jakob Chychrun.

Parekh is on pace for another productive OHL season, entering camp with 10 goals and 34 points in 25 games. That puts him on pace for just under 90 points – a slight decrease from his draft-year output of 96. Saginaw loaded up last year in an effort to win the Memorial Cup, so they were expected to take a slight step back this year. Still, with Parekh’s help, the Spirit sit second in the West Division, 12 points behind the dominant Windsor Spitfires.

Hockey Canada is no stranger to Parekh’s game. He represented Canada Black at the 2022 U-17 World Hockey Challenge, where he had a solid five points in seven games. He then primarily played a deeper role at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup but still managed to win gold. So at least an initial camp invite would have made sense.

Scouts have always had some issues with his defensive play, and Parekh can be a bit undisciplined at times. He has already been handed two suspensions during the OHL calendar year, and he will likely break past the 100-PIM mark this season. Many scouts chalk that up to his competitive nature – something he’ll need to showcase in spades over the next few days.

It’s a short camp, with just one real practice session on Wednesday and a scrimmage later in the evening. From there, the two tune-up games against U SPORTS will help solidify the roster that will battle in three pre-tournament outings later this month before the real event kicks off on Dec. 26.

“(The coaching staff) knows what I’m capable of, they know I play with the puck, they know I’m a skilled player,” Parekh said. “It’s kind of showing them the off-puck, tight gaps. I know I’m capable of that.”

“If I outperform some of the other players here and don’t give the option to not take me on the team, I’ll put myself in a good position (to make the final roster). I’m confident in my ability. I’m confident in the player I am.”

Parekh’s defensive game has come a long way, making him more of a true two-way threat than he was once perceive to be. If he has his way, he won’t be utilizing his final year of WJC eligibility and will instead be focused on something much bigger next Christmas.

“You look at my game now compared to a year ago, I think it’s taken a big step,” Parekh said. “And as long as it continues to move in the right direction, the goal is to try and start in Calgary next year.”

But for now, his goal is to chase gold – and if he has his way, and the play follows, he could be taking a medal back with him to Michigan in a few weeks.

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Flames’ Zayne Parekh using original World Juniors snub as motivation

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