After two painful games with Zayne Parekh shackled to a chain the press box, he will finally make his season debut this afternoon in the Calgary Flames’ home opener against the St. Louis Blues.
This was confirmed by Head Coach Ryan Huska in his appearance on Sportsnet 960’s Coaches Show with Pat Steinberg.
What to expect from Parekh
Yes, Parekh is widely touted as one of the best prospects in hockey, but it’s important to keep expectations for him realistic.
Parekh looked phenomenal in his NHL debut in Game 82 of the 2024-25 season against the San Jose Sharks and scored a goal in that game. However, playing defence in the NHL is no joke, especially when he’ll likely be paired with a less-than-elite partner in Jake Bean.
Let Parekh make his mistakes, and focus on the positive development moments he’s sure to experience with every shift he takes.
With the Flames’ power play looking like an uncoordinated disaster the first two games, hopefully Parekh will get an opportunity to run point on one of the units. That’s where he can really thrive, and where he can have an immediate impact to the team.
We’ve highlighted how a patient approach with Parekh may not be the worst thing in the world, so hopefully he can find a regular rhythm after this afternoon’s game.
