Flames top prospect Zayne Parekh impresses in expanded role vs Kraken

Zayne Parekh was given more opportunity in Tuesday night’s pre-season match-up against the Seattle Kraken. He rode shotgun next to Kevin Bahl on the top defensive pairing and was put in a position to utilize his offensive skillset while quarterbacking the top power-play unit.

The ninth overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft had a solid showing despite not factoring into the scoresheet over his bulky 21:51 of ice time. Zayne made multiple smart plays with the puck and displayed a steady defensive presence when called upon.

In his post-game availability, head coach Ryan Huska was asked about how he thought Parekh performed with his added responsibility (via Flames TV):

“I thought he did a good job and not just the power play, I mean, we were fairly liberal with who he was on the ice against for the majority of the night, and I thought him and Kevin Bahl did a really good job together… (Bahl) is very steady, and I think he’s feeling pretty good about his game right now, and he just allowed Zayne to play his game a little more than what we saw against Edmonton.”

It’s encouraging to hear Parekh, who’s still a teenager, draw any sort of praise from Huska, especially in regards to his defensive reliability, which is the sole aspect of his game he needs to sure up before becoming an NHL regular.

Any preseason excitement about Parekh comes with the caveat that he’s playing against skeleton squads alongside one of the Flames’ best shutdown defenders in Bahl, but his strong play should inspire confidence nonetheless.

Parekh is familiar with Bahl, having been paired with him in his NHL debut in game 82 of last season, and the two seem to have some on-ice chemistry.

Bahl was asked before Tuesday’s game about playing with Calgary’s top prospect (via Flames TV):

“(We) could be a good match just because, you know, when I’m playing well I’m good gaps, good stick, good defensively, when he’s playing well he’s jumping up, he’s getting good shots off, stuff like that.”

They proved they were a nice match against the Kraken; their near-polar opposite skillsets complement each other nicely. There’s a decent chance that Parekh and Bahl reunite in the regular season, given that the ladder’s usual defence partner, Rasmus Andersson, has been the subject of extensive trade speculation and will likely be dealt this season.

Bahl continued:

“The biggest thing for him is obviously you got to play games and, you know, you got to learn how to play at the pro level. So everything’s a learning experience, especially for a guy like that… even preseason, you got to learn how to play against certain guys, certain lines, certain matchups, so I think he’s doing a good job of it. He’s a very intelligent player, so every game you can tell he’s learning.”

If Parekh continues to impress in the pre-season, Calgary may have no choice but to open the regular season with him on the roster. Following the Flames’ pre-season loss in Abbotsford to Vancouver, the Flames return to action on Saturday in Winnipeg.