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PENTICTON – Friday marked the first time Flames observers got their eyes on Zayne Parekh in Flames silks.
And while his first spin at the YoungStars tourney drew plenty of interest at the South Okanagan Events Centre, the reality is the ever-smiling prospect has been under an intense spotlight since he was drafted ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft
“Around Stampede there were a lot of people coming up to me, asking for a photo,” smiled the 18-year-old defenceman of his newfound fame.
“I didn’t realize it would be to that extent.
“It was pretty cool. Kind of something new for me.
“It was special to see because I got to realize how much they love hockey.”
What they love is what he represents in Calgary: hope.
That’s what the Flames are selling with a revamped approach that saw GM Craig Conroy swap out a half dozen veterans for a boatload of prospects last season.
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None possess the sort of skill or intrigue Parekh brings as a gifted skater whose offensive flair saw him lead all junior blueliners in the nation last year with 33 goals in 66 outings with Saginaw en route to a Memorial Cup crown.
Simply put, he’s the most exciting prospect the Flames have had since Matthew Tkachuk, and he has the confidence and swagger to match.
“For myself, I’m really confident – I know what I’m good at and I know what places I need to improve,” said the six-foot native of Nobleton, Ont. who added five pounds to his 185-pound frame this summer.
“But around other people, I try to be a little more humble and try to downplay some of the things that have gone well for me.
“At the end of the day, I’m the same as the other players here, just another kid that loves my hockey.”
Entering the four-team tourney as the youngest squad by far, the Flames lineup on Friday against Winnipeg featured eight of the ten draft picks Conroy selected this summer.
The Jets, Oilers and Canucks are icing AHL-type lineups, while the Flames are playing the kids.
A sublime skater, Parekh’s ability to dance all over the ice with ease was evident from the opening shift.
He did well moving the puck as a power-play quarterback and made several great breakout passes throughout the evening.
However, on two occasions he was stripped of the puck while trying to make the sort of moves that likely worked in junior.
Not here.
The second led to the game-winning goal in overtime, when Parekh, as the last man back, had his pocket picked at the Jets’ blue line by Colby Barlow, setting up a lengthy 2-on-0 that saw Winnipeg finish to cap a 4-3 win.
“Other guys are making mistakes too, which is okay, it’s their first game,” said Wranglers coach Trent Cull, who ran Calgary’s bench.
“Sometimes it’s great for these guys to play against the best of their peers, so all of a sudden maybe some things you could get away with in the past then you come here against a bunch of good players…
“In the National Hockey League, a mistake usually ends up in the back of the net. So it’s kind of one of those things, ‘Oh jeez, it’s a bit of a different game.’”
Parekh will learn that.
The poise Parekh exhibited with the puck against other young pros is already beyond his years.
In the third period, he made a great play to separate an opponent from the puck in his own end and immediately found Lucas Ciona, who was streaking up mid-ice with a pass on the tape.
He will be fun to watch, for years.
You don’t score 33 goals as an 18-year-old defenceman without taking chances, which is a big part of why he’s such an exciting player.
You can bet as prospect and main camp progress, he’ll adjust accordingly.
He has used the word patience a lot the last two days, making it clear he has full intention of putting his game on display at the NHL level in due time.
“I’m not looking too far ahead,” said Parekh, whose goal is to make the Flames this year, even though he probably realizes another year in junior may serve him best.
“I think I saw a video yesterday, I was just talking about how you’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing in the present and not worry about the end goal. And, you know, that’s a big thing for me.
“I’m trying to enjoy every day, enjoy what I do. I realized how fast things went by last year when I kept looking ahead towards the playoffs and the draft. You’ve just got to stay in the present.”
That means signing more autographs, posing for more photos, and enjoying the ride his talents have made possible.
“I think I’m trying to embrace it,” said Parekh of the fan adulation he’s already been showered with in Calgary.
“I kind of like being in the, I wouldn’t say the spotlight, but I like having people come up to me and say ‘hi.’ It’s a lot of fun.
“I really haven’t had a negative interaction being in the city, and it’s special. Being in a Canadian market where you can tell the fans are really passionate about hockey and they really get behind the players, it’s something I’ve embraced.
“Something I’ve kind of learned to love.”
NOTES: The Flames announced Friday they signed Jakob Pelletier to a one-year, two-way contract … Sam Morton was the Flames best player in Friday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Winnipeg, as his goal and assist erased an early 2-0 deficit to settle his team down. Jaden Lipinski and Hunter Laing, son of former Flames farmhand Quintin, also scored for Calgary. The Flames play Edmonton’s Young Stars Saturday night.
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