Last week, some speculation was confirmed surrounding Zayne Parekh. Eric Francis revealed that when the World Juniors roll around next month, the Flames will loan Parekh to Team Canada.
With how Parekh’s season has gone so far, I’d say this is the perfect opportunity for him. I believe there are tons of benefits to Parekh playing at the World Juniors. On the other hand, there are very few downsides.
Playing on a stacked team
If Canada doesn’t screw up like they have the past few years, they should be stacked at the World Juniors. Names like Gavin McKenna, Porter Martone, Caleb Desnoyers, Keaton Verhoeff, and more are set to highlight. Alongside Parekh could come a handful of other players being loaned by their NHL teams. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Michael Misa, Sam Dickinson, Berkly Catton, Harrison Brunicke, and possibly Ben Kindel all be loaned from their NHL teams. And that’s not to mention all the other talent. That bunch includes prospects like Michael Hage, Tij Iginla, Jake O’Brien, Kashawn Aitcheson, among others.
Parekh joining a roster with this much talent while being favoured to win a gold medal is far superior to whatever is going on with the Flames this season. Time in the limited Huska system becomes time on a Team Canada team that will feed into his creative and offensive style. Parekh will likely receive top-pair minutes with the first power play opportunity. Even if Canada opts to slot someone like Brunicke on the top pair above him, Parekh will still be the main offensive weapon on the backend. Twenty-plus minutes a night will certainly be in the cards, upgrading from the under-15 in Calgary. Production should come a lot easier in this situation, compared to the struggle of scoring just one point in 11 games.
Although the NHL experience hasn’t been entirely smooth so far, it should play a key role for Parekh at this tournament. There aren’t many players at the World Juniors who have suited up against the best in the world. We’ve seen before that NHL minutes don’t always guarantee a great World Juniors, but for Parekh, I feel it will play out nicely for him.
Challenging yet even competition
I think this could be the biggest benefit for Parekh at the World Juniors. The whole debate heading into the season is: What do you do with Parekh? He’s too good for the OHL, but he may not be ready yet for the NHL. While he certainly didn’t crash in the NHL, I’m okay saying he wasn’t 100% ready, even if he didn’t look too out of place. I think Parekh would benefit from some time against weaker competition, perhaps on a more even development level. The World Juniors is a near-perfect middle ground for it all.
Parekh will be competing against the best in his age range. It may not be professional hockey, but it’s the highest competition you’ll get at the junior level. In games against the top countries such as the USA, Sweden, and Finland, it’ll be the best time for Parekh to completely shine on an even playing field.
Regaining some confidence
The final major positive of sending Parekh to the World Juniors is that it allows him to regain some confidence. Parekh is a player who is very critical of himself. He hangs his head low when he makes mistakes, beating himself up for the choices, knowing that he can be better. In the environment of the Flames so far this season, you can imagine Parekh has gotten to himself a few times. It may not sound like the best mindset written out like that, but that’s the mindset of a hard worker. Someone who wants to be the best and wants to win. Parekh has won awards every single year since 2021–22. The World Juniors would give him that chance to keep the streak going.
Whether it be his hiccups or the limited role, it’s certainly not the perfect space for someone like Parekh. At the World Juniors, Parekh should be able to play to his full capabilities. The offensive dynamo on the backend, quarterbacking the top power play unit. He’ll have the opportunity to shine against the top players of his age group. Being snubbed from last year’s team will give him an additional chip on his shoulder as well.
If Parekh goes from a so-so start in the NHL with an injury to the best-performing defenceman of his age group while winning gold? That will be a huge boost to his confidence. He could then return to the professional level with greater self-assurance and hopefully start putting it all together.
Nothing but positives
There’s not much of a downside to Zayne Parekh being loaned to the World Juniors. It’s a near-perfect opportunity for him to find his stride in a disappointing season so far. The impact of playing with a stacked Canada team, especially high in the lineup, could do wonders in comparison to Parekh’s deployment in Calgary so far. With a tournament like the World Juniors, there’s always a challenge. However, the field should be very even for Parekh, with him as one of the top players. Finally, Parekh will enter with a chip on his shoulder with an opportunity to find confidence in a difficult year.
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