The offensive ceiling is real and the World Juniors performance only underlined it. He ran both power play units by the end of the tournament and his play creation and swagger were things Canada genuinely lacked a year ago. But the tournament also put his defensive limitations on a bigger stage. He looked out of position repeatedly, and the issues aren’t subtle – rush defense, gap control, defensive zone positioning. The Shayne Gostisbehere comparison floating around is a reminder that offensive defensemen who can’t be trusted defensively often end up in a narrower deployment role than their point totals would suggest. The ceiling is elite, the path to getting their runs directly through defensive improvement. Currently, the Flames are rotating Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz in and out of the same sheltered third-pair role, and the organizational hope is clearly that both eventually grow into top-four contributors paired alongside defensive stalwarts who can cover their inadequacies defensively. If Parekh can put in the work defensively, we could be looking at a 60-70 point defender who quarterbacks his team’s top power play for a decade – if not, he may find his way into a less prioritized role like a Tyson Barrie or Shayne Gostisbehere.

Zayne Parekh has solidified his status as one of the most dynamic defensive prospects in the NHL. Following his record breaking 2023-24 OHL season, where he put up 33 goals and 96 points in 66 games, Parekh stepped up his dominance in the OHL, putting up 33 goals and 107 points in 61 games, including a plus-42 rating. His back-to-back 33 goal seasons mark him as the first OHL defenseman to achieve 30 or more goals in consecutive seasons since Bobby Orr. Despite the slow start, Parekh erupted for 92 points in his final 46 games, averaging two points per game, followed by nine points in five playoff games for the Spirit.

Following his playoff exit, Parekh was called up by the Flames and made his debut against the LA Kings in the final game of the season. During the game, Parekh was placed on the Flames first powerplay unit and played 20:31, posting one block, one hit, a plus three rating, and recording his first NHL goal halfway through the third period off a deflection between the circles.

With talks of the Flames looking to move fellow right-handed defenseman Rasmus Andersson, there could be a spot in the top four for Parekh to slot into alongside Kevin Bahl. He would be an ideal partner to help Parekh have the confidence to roam free with Bahl being a defensive rock on the left side. Time will tell where Parekh lands this coming season, as he isn’t eligible for AHL play due to being under 20 years old, so it’s OHL or NHL this season. Parekh was at Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase Camp, playing in a few inter-squad scrimmages before leaving camp after dealing with a minor lower body injury that needed rest in preparation for the Flames camp come September.

Parekh was called up from the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit by the Calgary Flames on April 8, 2025. He scored 33 goals and added 74 assists over 61 games with the Spirit during the 2024-25 season, his third campaign in the OHL. Parekh added two goals and seven assists across five playoff games. With 87 points in 77 games, the Flames are four points back of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Their next game is Wednesday, April 9th, against the Anaheim Ducks, when Parekh could make his NHL debut.