The Calgary Flames find themselves in the midst of a tight playoff race to finish out the season. Calgary currently trails the St. Louis Blues for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Prior to the Flames game against the Seattle Kraken, on March 25th, insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Flames are keeping an eye on last year’s first-round draft pick Zayne Parekh. During a radio hit on Flames Talk with Pat Steinberg Frank shared that he believes Calgary could potentially have Parekh join Calgary for their playoff push as soon as his season in Saginaw ends. These Zayne Parekh rumours have Flames fans asking what it all means.
Leading To Rumours of a Callup, Zayne Parehk Has Been Dominating
The news from Seravalli is both surprising and exciting for Flames fans. Parekh struggled at his first NHL training camp in the fall. Many fans had hoped he could make the Flames opening night roster, but instead, he was a fairly early cut. However, since his return to Saginaw, Parekh has put together an incredible season.
Parekh has amassed 33 goals and 74 assists, totaling 107 points in 61 games. This remarkable performance not only leads all OHL defencemen in scoring but also places him among the top point producers in the league overall. Notably, Parekh became the first OHL defenceman to record multiple 30-goal seasons, achieving this milestone for the second consecutive year. His point total is the highest by an OHL defenceman since Ryan Ellis recorded 100 points in the 2010-11 season. Parekh’s consistent offensive contributions have been instrumental in Saginaw’s success this season.
What Parehk Could Bring to a Flames Playoff Run
The Calgary Flames have surprised many this season with their play. At the start of the year, most anticipated that the Flames could be in the draft lottery. Instead, they have battled and are on the verge of a playoff birth. Calgary have overachieved the expectations, largely thanks to their rookie standout in goal, Dustin Wolf. Despite the success, the Flames have some areas they need to improve that could help push them into the playoffs. This is where Parehk could be a difference-maker down the stretch.
The Flames have struggled to create consistent offence all season. Calgary is in the bottom three in the NHL in terms of goal-scoring. The Zayne Parekh rumour has sparked excitement. Adding a dynamic offensive player like Parehk could provide a boost to the Flames offence. Parekh has racked up 46 power play points in just 61 games, and could immediately provide a new element to Flames power play. Parekh has all the ability to play in the NHL from a skill and skating perspective. He would bring improved puck moving to the Flames bottom three. Parekh brings a lot of elements that the Flames are missing, which is why this potential addition is so enticing.
Why the Zayne Parehk Rumour Came out Now
For many, the idea of rushing a young defenceman into the middle of a playoff fight seems scary. The jump from the OHL straight NHL playoffs is massive. However, this Zayne Parekh rumour has some validity. Calgary is in a unique situation, and adding Parekh at this stage makes a lot of sense. Firstly, Parekh has proven there is nothing left for him in junior hockey. After two straight dominant seasons, Parekh heading back to the OHL will do nothing for his development. He is ready for the next step, and that means the Flames don’t need to worry about losing the ability to return him to junior.
The other factor that makes a Parekh addition realistic for Calgary at this time is their lack of defensive depth. Journeyman, waiver pickup Joel Hanley is currently playing top-four minutes. The Flames have also had a revolving door in their bottom defence pairing. These players have played admirably to get Calgary to this stage, but the bottom four defencemen are far from locks. This gives Parekh a good chance of earning his spot if the Flames do add him to the roster.
Watching and Waiting
As exciting as this all sounds for this to become reality some things have to line up. There are less than three weeks remaining in the NHL season. With that timeline in mind, Parekh is just starting his playoff run with Saginaw. If Saginaw loses their series against Erie there would only be a couple of games in which Parekh could join the Flames. If Parekh and the Spirit win their series, the Flames would have to make the playoffs for this to all work, and that is very much up in the air, with Calgary trailing St. Louis for the final playoff spot.
Overall this news is exciting, and if Parekh does join the Flames this season it will make an already exciting season of hockey even better.
Main Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
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