In Wednesday’s match against the Flint Firebirds, Calgary Flames prospect Zayne Parekh registered an assist in the first period, tallying his 97th point of the season to set a new career high in points.

The 2024 first-round pick is now in his third season playing with Spirit. He had 37 points in 50 games in his debut in the 2022-23 season, then racked up 96 in 66 contests last year. Parekh tied last season’s total on Sunday with a big four-point night as Saginaw took down the North Bay Battalion 8-3 on the fourth game of their current road trip.

Parekh earned his 97th of the year today with an assist on centre Carson Harmer’s goal near the end of the first period to put the Spirit up 2-0. He finished the game with a goal and two assists, bringing him to 99 points on the season.

It’s just the latest impressive stat to come from the 19-year-old, who recently became the first-ever OHL defenceman with multiple 30-goal seasons to his name. He currently sits four tucks away from passing his personal record of 33 goals in a season, set last year.

The big numbers coming from this young prospect come as his defensive game continues to impress as well. In February, Parekh was named OHL Defenceman of the Month for a second straight month, and is currently sitting at a career-best +43. The 6’0″ skater leads all defenceman in the league in assists and points, sitting second and sixth, respectively, amongst all skaters across those two categories.

Parekh has also done well in special teams, as he currently leads all defencemen in the OHL with 33 assists on the power play (second amongst all skaters to Brantford Bulldogs centre Jake O’Brien’s 39). This kind of boost could be promising for Calgary’s man advantage group in the future, with their power play currently at 21.6%.

Between the big offensive numbers he’s been putting up with the Spirit, and the strong defensive play he continues to showcase, Parekh is making a big splash in the OHL this season. With the show he’s putting on, he’s proving again why he earned his selection as Calgary’s first top-10 draft pick since Matthew Tkachuk in 2016, and offers an exciting promise that some offensive firepower is on the way to boost their blue line.

Parekh will attempt to register his 100th point of the season when the Spirit host the Barrie Colts on Thursday night.