Zayne Parekh, Saginaw Spirit (Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)

Flames’ Zayne Parekh Invited to 2025 NHLPA Rookie Showcase

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Cody Gzowski | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 3:40 PM ET

The 2025-26 NHL season begins with its media showcases, including the National Hockey League Player’s Association (NHLPA) Rookie Showcase in Washington, DC. For the Calgary Flames, this year’s Rookie Showcase invitee is Zayne Parekh. The Flames had no invitee last season.

Parekh was picked ninth overall in 2024 from the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and signed his entry-level contract shortly after his draft. He played one game with the Flames last season after being called up following the Spirit’s elimination from the OHL playoffs. In that one game, he scored a goal and helped his team to a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in the last game of the regular season. As the Flames failed to make the playoffs, his season ended there.

Parekh put up incredible numbers in the OHL, especially for a defenceman. In his rookie season, he scored 21 goals and had 16 assists for 37 points in 50 games, and in the seasons leading up to and following his draft he scored 33 goals each time, a feat not accomplished by an OHL defender since Bobby Orr. In fact, since the OHL was then known as the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), Parekh is the first ever player to pull this off. In his final season in Saginaw, he recorded 107 points, the fifth-highest scoring player in the league and 16 points ahead of the next defenceman (Sam Dickinson of the San Jose Sharks, who is also a Rookie Showcase invitee).

Parekh Separates Himself From Flames’ Other Picks

The group of rookies invited to the showcase is elite, featuring 20 first-round picks and including 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. Parekh’s selection from the Flames indicates that the NHLPA sees him as good company to the rest of the intriguing young players in the group.

The Flames have one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, but Parekh stands out as the crown jewel. There’s a reason he was selected to the Showcase and 2025 first-round pick Cole Reschny wasn’t; Parekh is much more ready to play at the NHL level in the immediate future. Unlike Reschny or fellow defensive prospect Hunter Brzustewicz, Parekh is immediately ready not just to play games with the big club, but to be an impact player – his offensive prowess means he is likely to be a big contributor for Calgary and potentially compete for the 2026 Calder Trophy. As he prepares to become a potential future face of the team, the Rookie Showcase is a great opportunity for him to practice his skills in front of a camera.