Calgary Flames general manager Craig Conroy sees a path for top prospect Zayne Parekh to make the roster out of camp this fall.
“Just watching Zayne all year, just seeing what he can do offensively and the way he kind of plays. Even when he came up at the end (of the season), to watch him in practice, he just does things differently than most guys,” Conroy said, per TSN.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but he’s going to have a great opportunity to make this team next year.”
The Flames selected Parekh ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. The defenseman played for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit this past season.
Parekh became just the 10th defenseman in OHL history to record 100 points in a single season.
The 19-year-old joined Calgary for their final regular season game and scored in his NHL debut. He’s known for his offensive skills, but Conroy wants to see improvement in other areas before Parekh becomes a full-time NHL player.
“Offensively, he can do all that. It’s going to be his play away from the puck, how he can defend,” Conroy explained.
The general manager emphasized the importance of confidence for the young defenseman.
“I’m just looking for him to come in and just play his game and be more confident. I think he was disappointed when he came in last year – it didn’t work quite as well. It wasn’t as easy as he thought it was going to be.”
Calgary surprised many last season by staying in playoff contention throughout the campaign. The team ultimately missed the playoffs in a tiebreaker scenario with the St. Louis Blues.
The Flames will likely give Parekh every opportunity to prove he belongs at the NHL level during training camp and preseason games.
