Calgary Flames call up Zayne Parekh and he'll make his NHL debut soon
The Calgary Flames are still in a fight for their playoff lives and they will get a significant boost on the backend to help them out.
Following Monday night’s tense victory over the San Jose Sharks, the Flames sit just four points back of the Minnesota Wild for the final wildcard spot. To help them continue the push, the team announced this morning that top prospect Zayne Parekh has been recalled from the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit.
This means that the 2024 first-round pick will join the Flames for this last stretch and could make his NHL debut as soon as tomorrow against the Anaheim Ducks.
ZAYNE!!
We've recalled defenceman Zayne Parekh from the OHL's Saginaw Spirit!#Flames | @original16beer pic.twitter.com/M1EXrA8Xhf
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) April 8, 2025
The 19-year-old Parekh was selected ninth overall by the Flames last June and has enjoyed an incredible year in Saginaw. Though he wasn’t able to crack Calgary’s roster out of training camp, the Markham, Ontario native took the demotion in stride, leading all OHL defenders in scoring with 33 goals and 107 points in 61 games.
Not only did he lead all OHL defencemen, but he also became just the fifth defenceman in CHL history to score 100 points in a season. He is the first defenceman to score back-t0-back 30 goal seasons in the OHL since Bobby Orr did so back in the 1960s.
In the playoffs, he led the Spirit with nine points in five games before they bowed out to the Erie Otters in the opening round.
The only bump along the road during Parekh’s season was a baffling snub from Hockey Canada that prevented him from representing his country at the latest World Juniors. That Canadian team ended up falling in the quarterfinals, and not selecting Parekh has been pointed out as a mistake by many.
Parekh will join the Flames in Anaheim ahead of tomorrow’s game. Whether or not he draws into the lineup to make his NHL debut has yet to be announced.