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Zayne Parekh’s growth could lead to superb sophomore season (and some sweet bonuses)
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Ryan Pike
Apr 30, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 28, 2026, 23:35 EDT
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Folks, one of the most illuminating pieces of journalism in hockey each year is PuckPedia’s annual rundown of which teams will be carrying performance bonus overages into the following season. It’s a great look into how teams try to balance trying to spend to the cap to maximize their opportunities to contend, while trying to integrate youth into their lineup on entry-level deals.
In 2025-26, six players with potential bonuses included in their deals spent time with the Flames: Zayne Parekh, Sam Honzek, Arsenii Sergeev, Owen Say, William Stromgren and Brennan Othmann. Unfortunately, zero were able to trigger any of their bonuses.
That may change in 2026-27. Let’s explain why.
The short answer is “Zayne Parekh.”
According to PuckPedia, Parekh’s ELC contains $1 million in performance bonuses, likely translating to $250,000 per category of “A bonuses.” “A bonuses” are team-centric bonuses, relating to where an entry-level player falls within the team’s performance hierarchy.
For defencemen, here’s what the collective bargaining agreement stipulates as “A bonuses”:
  • Being top four among defencemen on their team in time on ice (either in the aggregate or per game), among players who played 42+ games
  • Scoring 10 or more goals
  • Being credited with 25 or more assists
  • Earning 40 or more points
  • Earning 0.49 or more points per game (while playing 42+ games)
  • Being top three among defencemen in plus/minus, among players who played 42+ games
  • Being top two among defencemen in blocked shocks, among players who played 42+ games
  • Making the NHL All-Rookie Team
  • Making the NHL All-Star Game
  • Being named NHL All-Star Game MVP
(Parekh won’t be considered a rookie in 2026-27, so the All-Rookie Team is out.)
During the 2025-26 season, Parekh had four goals and five assists for nine points over 37 games. However, he was dynamite over the final month of the season. Over the final 20 games, he had four goals and four assists for eight points.
If you extrapolate his final 20 games of 2025-26 over the 84-game season of 2026-27, he would have 17 goals and 17 assists for 36 points. (And that was with a power play that didn’t produce a ton, even late in the season.) Over the final 20 games, he was fifth on the team in time on ice among defenders, behind Olli Maatta, Zach Whitecloud, Kevin Bahl and Yan Kuznetsov.
Assuming Parekh merely returns for next season playing at the same level as the end of 2025-26, he’s quite likely to hit a category or two of his performance bonuses. If he can find another level, he could earn an even bigger bonus payday.
And you know what? The Flames would gladly pay those bonuses if Parekh grows his game to the level that merits them.
It’s going to be a crucial summer for Parekh. We’ll see how it turns out when he returns for training camp in the fall.

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