Calgary Flames select Zayne Parekh at ninth overall in 2024 NHL Draft
By Ryan Pike
2 days agoThe Calgary Flames have made their first selection of the 2024 NHL Draft. At ninth overall, the Flames have selected blueliner Zayne Parekh of the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit.
A right shot blueliner, Parekh had a stupendous 2023-24 campaign. He’s listed at 6’0″ and 179 pounds, and he was the highest-scoring blueliner in the OHL in 2023-24, posting 33 goals and 63 assists for 96 points. He was the only blueliner to post more points than Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz.
Parekh was ranked seventh overall by FC Hockey, and was listed as the fifth-best North American skater by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service. He won a Memorial Cup with Saginaw this season, as well as a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was honoured individually for his strong season with the OHL and CHL awards for the top defenceman.
Over at Daily Faceoff, our pal Steven Ellis had Parekh ranked fourth in the draft class:
If any defender in this draft can hit the 70-point marker in the NHL, it’s Parekh. Fresh off a Memorial Cup championship with Saginaw, Parekh finished the OHL regular season with 33 goals and 96 points in 66 games to lead all U-18 OHLers. It was the third most productive U-18 season ever by an OHL defender, and he still has at least another year to go in major junior – just imagine the numbers he’ll put up as the Spirit look to remain a contender in 2024-25. Parekh was far and away the best offensive defenseman in junior hockey this year, and I think the upside of him being a devastatingly good point producer will allow him to go early.
Parekh was the fifth-ranked North American skater on the NHL Central Scouting Service’s final rankings. Our pals at Elite Prospects had him ranked fifth overall in their draft guide.
Coincidentally enough, Parekh’s older brother has been invited to Flames’ development camp next week.
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