Parekh is coming off the third most productive U-18 season ever by an OHL defender. So what’s he capable of as a third-year OHLer? There’s no reason to doubt that he won’t become the fourth defender in OHL history to break the 120-point barrier and become just the second behind Paul Reinhart in 1978-79 to hit 50 goals. He’s got the toolkit to make everything work at both ends, starting with his skating. Parekh isn’t an explosive skater, but he moves well side-to-side and can start and stop on a dime. He’s a manipulator offensively in how he makes you think he’s doing one thing before doing another, and he’s figured out how to use that to his advantage going the other way, too. After winning the Memorial Cup last spring, look for Parekh to bring the Spirit far again this year, too.

Many people considered Morin to be one of the best defensemen in the CHL in 2022-23. He had 21 goals and 72 points in his draft year before falling to 49 this season but he still showed how competitive and defensively responsible he is. Morin is more than just a point-producer; while he’s not big, he’s physical, and he uses that to win battles consistently. I fully expect him to make it to the NHL, but I’m not sure in what role just yet. This year, let’s see if he can combine his offensive exploits with his improved defensive play to become a much more valuable option for a pipeline that could use a bit of a boost.