Calgary Flames’ most intriguing training camp battle in 2025

Parekh didn’t have the most intriguing first training camp in 2024. He struggled to keep up with the physical demands of the professional game, and it was clear that he needed another year of development in the Ontario Hockey League. He put on an offensive clinic for the Saginaw Spirit, recording 107 points in 61 games.

The play in the OHL earned Parekh a chance to make his NHL debut at the end of the season. Most junior players don’t get that opportunity. Still, with Saginaw back in rebuilding mode after selling out for a Memorial Cup in 2023-24, Parekh was available when most prospects were entering their junior league’s playoffs. It was a good opportunity for general manager Craig Conroy to see how far Parekh had come and give Calgary fans some hope for the future.

Parekh arrived at the Flames’ 2025 training camp with one clear goal: to make the team out of camp. If he doesn’t, it’s back to the OHL, where he has already achieved everything possible. With Andersson being a roadblock for Parekh on the right side, an interesting dilemma for Flames fans is that a trade would likely guarantee Parekh’s spot on the team.

Regardless of a trade, Parekh should be able to nail down a spot as the right-shot defenseman on the third pair. He’ll also take over the quarterback role for the first power-play unit before long, as he is on a trajectory to be among the league’s best offensive defensemen. In a league that has shifted towards the dominant defensemen being the offensive players, the Flames have their Lane Hutson and Cale Makar in Parekh.

Brayden Pachal could move to the left for Flames

With Parekh potentially taking the last spot on the right side, it leaves the Flames looking for their third left-shot defenseman to pair with him. While naturally it should be a left-shot guy here, with Jake Bean being a front-runner, it wouldn’t be shocking if Brayden Pachal stole the spot.

Pachal is comfortable playing on the left side, and he has been practicing there throughout training camp. All signs point to him being given the chance to play with Parekh, and he is the best remaining defenseman.

While most coaches would go with comfort and put a left-shot defenseman next to Parekh, Ryan Huska can’t afford to be cautious with this lineup. If Pachal is the next-best option, he has to slot in for opening night regardless of fit.

Jake Bean will be ready and waiting

If Pachal wins the job out of camp, that likely leaves Bean as the seventh defenseman and a healthy scratch on opening night against the Edmonton Oilers. However, there is one caveat that could put him into the lineup. With any Andersson trade before the regular season begins, Parekh would likely move up to the top four, Pachal would shift over to his natural side, and Bean would get his chance to play.

When looking at this new lineup minus Andersson, it’s easy to see how big a hole his absence would leave. Parekh being given top-four minutes this early could be a lot to handle, especially for a diminutive blue-liner with defensive questions.

It would be an unprecedented move to trade Andersson in the middle of training camp. If it hasn’t already happened, it’ll likely have to wait until the trade deadline now. If that is the case, the blue-line competition at training camp is a three-horse race between Parekh, Bean, and Pachal for the final two spots with players like Hunter Brzustewicz, Daniil Miromanov, and Ilya Solovyov waiting in the wings.