CALGARY — Zayne Parekh was recently heading to the mall to purchase jeans. Following his exciting NHL debut in the final game of the season, the Flames` first-round draft pick had promised to get denim after teammates MacKenzie Weegar and Mikael Backlund teased him for wearing joggers to a team dinner.
This seemingly minor detail highlights the attention on the young defenseman drafted ninth overall last summer, making a clothing update feel relevant during the first day of Flames` development camp at WinSport.
Parekh chuckled, admitting he visited the mall but bought nothing, noting his teammates were surprised he`d never owned jeans before. He acknowledged, “I`ve gotta go (get some). Eventually, I`m going to have to. Probably best to get it done now.”
While jean shopping is a lighthearted topic, the more significant question in Calgary is whether Parekh will earn a spot on the Flames roster this fall. When asked if he felt better prepared compared to last year for a chance to stay with the main team, the highly confident player smiled.
Parekh explained his mindset: “I mean, if I didn`t, I wouldn`t probably believe in myself.” He described his first training camp as “humbled,” saying he was sent down after not having enough preparation time and feeling overwhelmed, specifically worrying about making errors.
He believes his current confidence is higher. Having experienced the NHL briefly at the end of the past season, he now has a better understanding of what`s needed to play at that level. He hopes this insight will assist him.
He did indeed get valuable NHL exposure, scoring in his debut – making him the sixth-youngest defenseman in league history to do so – and spending ten days with the big club.
Neville Woodall