Zayne Parekh is breaking out in a big way

Despite not scoring what would have been a bona fide career highlight goal, Zayne Parekh is catching the attention of the entire league as the next potential superstar on the blue line alongside the likes of Quinn Hughes, Cale Makar or Matthew Schaefer.

Parekh spoke about the goal with the media post-game, saying:

“Yeah, I got a little high and tried a little inside-out move. I thought he might stick with it.

Then I thought the play was going to be dead when I tried to slip the puck through a guy’s triangle.

The next thing I knew, I was in the slot. I was looking for a backdoor pass, but nothing was there, so I just tried to wrap it around.

Honestly, I think he made a lucky save on it. Yeah, I think I was laughing at the play a little bit, too.

Some of it seemed a little outrageous, but it was also outrageous that he managed to get his blocker on it.

So, kudos to him, I guess.” – Zayne Parekh

Despite the efforts of Parekh and his squad, the Flames still lost 3–1.

“Yeah, it seems like our second periods have just been flat lately.

I don’t know if it’s a fatigue thing or what it is, but it seems like when we switch sides on the bench, we’re just not playing great hockey.

We have to identify what’s going on there. Maybe guys need some time away from the rink.

Tomorrow, we get some time to ourselves, get some energy back, and hopefully have a good road trip.” – Zayne Parekh

Parekh has the chance to play more

The Flames have been very hot and cold over the last few games. They seem to struggle to pick a direction for the final season inside the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Despite being a bad team on paper, young Flames like Parekh are starting to make the transition from “boy amongst men” to full-time NHL-level talents.

Parekh has really started to come into his own over the last month or so. It hasn’t just been “one good game.”

Parekh wowed fans on November 8, putting a nasty goal past former teammate Dan Vladar in a 4–3 Flames win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

With Kevin Bahl now out for the rest of the season following a ruptured Achilles tendon, there’s an opportunity on the table for one of the Flames’ seven other defencemen to step up.

Parekh has wished to transition to playing defence on the left side. He has shown he can play both sides this past season and is the most likely option to take Bahl’s spot as Calgary’s top defenceman. Whether Parekh can keep this pace up for the rest of the year will be one of the more entertaining storylines for the Flames going forward.

The upcoming California road trip will be yet another proving ground for the 20-year-old blue-liner.