NASHVILLE – Developmental purgatory.
That, and the press box, is where Zayne Parekh sits these days.
Too good for junior, yet not quite ready for prime time.
The Calgary Flames†most prized prospect belongs in the AHL, but the current CBA fails the young man by prohibiting CHL draft picks from playing in the minors at age 19.
That rule, designed to protect junior teams, changes next year in the new CBA, which does Parekh as much good as hitting the previous weekâ€s lottery numbers.
And so, with the young man just one game away from hitting the 10-game threshold that activates the first year of a playerâ€s entry-level deal, the Flames have essentially paused the decision over what to do with him.
A coachâ€s scratch each of the last two games, Parekhâ€s situation has incited a fan base that is long past the point of declaring the last-place Flames (2-9-2) a write-off in terms of their playoff chances.
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They want to see him play, and be damned with the growing pains involved.
With Parekhâ€s long-term development in mind, the Flames’ focus is making sure the confidence that helped him become the ninth pick overall in 2024 isnâ€t shattered by being in over his head.
While struggling to find his way defensively, and being unable to generate any of the offensive flair that made him a two-time 30-goal scorer in Saginaw, heâ€s been taking more than his fair share of big hits from some big boys.
Protecting Parekh, in ways far beyond physical, is of utmost importance.
Yet, itâ€s almost universally understood thereâ€s no gain in sending him back to junior where heâ€s done everything imaginable, including winning a Memorial Cup.Â
So, how, when and where to play him hangs over a franchise already being pilloried by frustrated fans who watched the Flames lose their 11th game in their last 12 outings Saturday.
Parekh sat with Connor Zary high atop Bridgestone Arena as his teamâ€s ongoing penalty issues helped put them behind 3-0 in the first period, chase Dustin Wolf from the game and finish with a 4-2 setback to Nashville that gets Calgary yet another loss closer to being able to take a whole new approach to personnel and organizational decisions.
Plan B will almost certainly be in effect soon.
With playoff hopes all but mathematically gone, and with the Gavin McKenna carrot dangling in front of them, it could very well mean the youngsters will get more ice time and opportunities.
This isnâ€t just about Parekh. Itâ€s also about guys like Connor Zary, who has also been a healthy scratch the last two games.
With the losses mounting, it would seem a reckoning is coming, as the youth movement the city is clamouring for will be stepped up.
The teamâ€s handling of Parekh suggests theyâ€re biding time, and the likely steps ahead will confirm that.
A two-week conditioning stint in the AHL is one of the few loopholes available, and it seems a natural.
The World Junior Championship in December is another no-brainer, giving him a chance to finally make Team Canada and prove his past snubs were mistakes.
A confidence reset, a massive motivator.
Make no mistake, the best path forward would come in the form of him finding some semblance of success in one of his next few NHL starts, which could even come as early as Sunday in Philadelphia.
How perfect it would be for the team and the player for him to kick-start his path like Johnny Gaudreau did only after a handful of games into his first NHL season.
Had he not broken through with a big game in Winnipeg that year, he was destined for a demotion.
Instead, he took the puck and ran with it.
This evolution will take longer, as it generally does for young defencemen.
How best to foster that growth is what this is all about, for Parekh and for the growing list of prospects who will soon be taking centre stage for a team on the mend.
Thereâ€s another number at play here, which is 40 – the number of games he has to play before this season counts as a full “year of service” towards that player’s eligibility for unrestricted free agency.
That one will be tricky to avoid, as he has to play somewhere.
Parekh isnâ€t oblivious to all the debate around him, as he hears the chatter, reads the speculation and certainly feels the weight of expectation.
Obviously this hasnâ€t been easy for him, as this marks the first time in his career heâ€s not flourishing.
Itâ€s a heavy burden for a teen, which is all the more reason why the Flames want to make the right calls here and foster a path to success.
The erosion of his confidence is their chief concern, which is why this decision isnâ€t just about Game 10.
Itâ€s about the next ten years.
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