The Calgary Flames commemorated the second day of on-ice action at development camp with a trio of signings. As announced by the club on Friday, they’ve signed 2024 first-round picks Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin, and 2023 second-round pick Etienne Morin to three year entry-level deals.
The cap hit on Parekh and Gridin’s deals is $975,000 – the maximum cap hit allowable for 2024-drafted players – while Morin’s is $903,333.
Per PuckPedia, Parekh received maxed-out team performance bonuses in category A – up to a total of $1 million – while Gridin did not have bonuses included in his contract. Morin has $55,000 of possible games-played bonuses in the first two seasons of his deal and $30,000 in the final season.
Parekh was a first-round pick, ninth overall, in last week’s NHL Draft. His big brother, Isa (in Flames development camp on a try-out), was the legal witness for his deal. Gridin was a first-round pick, 28th overall, in the recent draft. And Morin was a second-round pick, 48th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft.
For those wondering when their deals actually kick in:
  • Parekh and Gridin are considered 18-year-old signings, and their deals are eligible to slide twice (in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons) as they’re 2006 birthdays who aren’t eligible play AHL games until 2026-27 anyway.
  • Morin is considered a 19-year-old signing, and his deal is eligible to slide once (for the 2024-25 season), as he’s a 2005 birthday who isn’t eligible to play AHL games until 2025-26.
In other words: the Flames main flexibility and these kids get rewarded for their hard work with a signing bonus they can spend on presents for their loved ones – and hopefully not buying their teammates too many snacks on the Stampede midway.
Parekh led the Ontario Hockey League in points by a blueliner in 2023-24, posting 33 goals and 96 points and helping the Saginaw Spirit win a Memorial Cup. Gridin led the United States Hockey League in points by anybody in 2023-24, posting 38 goals and 83 points with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. Morin had 12 goals and 49 points with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.
Parekh and Morin will likely return to their junior clubs in the fall, while it’s not entirely confirmed yet where Gridin will hang his hat – he was drafted by the QMJHL’s Val-d’Or Foreurs in the import draft. By signing an NHL deal, Gridin won’t be eligible to play college hockey; he had previously committed to the University of Michigan, but that’s no longer in the cards – when he spoke to the media, he disputed the notion that academics were why he wasn’t going, instead citing the longer schedule in Canadian junior hockey.
With these signings, the Flames have inked deals with two members of their 2024 draft class (Parekh and Gridin) and two members of their 2023 draft class (Sam Honzek and Morin). Development camp concludes on Saturday with a three-on-three scrimmage.