CALGARY – Through a season of tumult, the one thing that hasn’t changed has been the radiant smile on Zayne Parekh’s face.
Like his game, it has broadened of late.
“I know it hasn’t been the best season, but I wouldn’t say it’s been a bad one at all,” said the effervescent 20-year-old, asked to sum up his maiden voyage as a pro.
“I just think ever since the deadline I’ve just been getting better. I think I’ve learned a lot, and learned how to be a pro and taken big strides.”
By virtue of his Bobby Orr-type numbers in junior that made him the Flames’ ninth pick overall in 2024, Parekh has been under a Saddledome-sized microscope all season.
Although unfair in many ways — it’s clear he would have played in the American Hockey League had the CBA allowed it — he persevered through early struggles, an injury, a rejuvenating stint at the world juniors and a conditioning stint with the Wranglers that set the tone for an encouraging finish.
Setting new highs by playing more than 22 minutes in each of the Flames’ last three games, his effort Sunday against Utah included an outing Ryan Huska said was Parekh’s best this year.
High praise from a coach who abandoned his tentative plan to limit Parekh’s usage down the stretch to protect the youngster.
Progress is being made, which is what this season was always supposed to be about for an undersized defenceman playing in a league of speedy giants.
Unless your name is Schaefer, it’s not easy to break in as a blue-liner.
“It was a frustrating stretch for me, especially the first half of the year,” understated Parekh, whose trademarked swagger disappeared at times.
“Even coming back with that injury, I was still getting a little mad at myself and down on myself. But lately I feel great. I feel really confident, and I feel like I’m skating well, and I really like my game.”
In Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Colorado, he was a human highlight reel in the first period, when he ripped a shot off the crossbar and created several great scoring chances, including one that came from a 100-foot breakout pass that sent Matvei Gridin in alone.
Given how rocky things began in the fall, it’s a significant development that the young man will head into the summer on a positive note.
“Obviously I wanted to come in at the start of the season and be successful right away, and not have to go through that struggle that I did for the first half,” he said Tuesday.
“But those growing pains are good, and I’m actually really happy with how the season has gone to this point, and how I’m playing now. I think every area I’ve grown.”
Tabbed from draft day onward as the organization’s power play quarterback for the next decade, he’s looked more comfortable there of late, scoring all three of his goals in the last 11 games while on the man advantage.
Instead of thinking his way around the ice, he’s reacting.
His ability to be an impact player is starting to come as naturally as it did in junior, when he was a two-time 30-goal scorer.
“Yeah, I think a big thing is confidence – I think when I started the season I was second-guessing myself a lot,” said Parekh, who credits a long list of teammates for helping him grow.
“It just took a while for me to get adjusted to the pace, and my decision-making had to get a little bit quicker. But I feel great. I feel confident. Husk (coach Ryan Huska) has obviously been a huge tool for me in that area, and all of our player development staff and Cully (assistant coach Trent Cull) and Seebs (development coach Brent Seabrook) and all those guys, have been great. They just push me in the right direction every day.”
This summer, they’ll be pushing him towards the gym to pack muscle onto a six-foot, 179-pound frame that has taken a beating from the opposition all year long.
“Obviously everyone’s stronger, and I’ve got to put on some weight this summer,” said Parekh, who is still working on the art of eluding more checks.
“And then I just want to keep working on my skating and want to get quick, because I think the biggest thing I realized is how the best players are all the best skaters in this league. It’s been eye-opening for me.”
The good news is that no one on the current roster is a better skater than Parekh.
“I think his puck play has gotten much better, and I think he’s a much more confident player now with the puck,” said Huska, who wanted to add the fact that Parekh is also getting more comfortable defensively.
“But he’s also added confidence away from the puck as well, and I think that’s the most important thing for him. As a young defenseman, it’s really hard to find your footing in the NHL. And I think over time, with some of the experiences that he’s had this year, he’s really started to figure out and grab hold of how you have to play at the NHL level. So we’re really proud of the steps he’s taken.”