Flames Need To Give Up Top Prospect Zayne Parekh NHL Games This Season – Hockey Writers – Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames may not be the best team in 2024-25, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be fun. They’re doing this quietly, but under general manager (GM) Craig Conroy, they’ve gotten some good little pieces, some of which are expected to play most of the season in the NHL.

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Some of those pieces include Connor Zary, who is coming off a great rookie season, as well as Jakob Pelletier, Matt Coronato, and goaltender Dustin Wolf. Defenseman Ilya Solovyov also has a chance to crack the roster, although there is another, more high-profile blue-liner in Zayne Parekh who could, and should, earn an NHL job this coming season.

Flames Fans Deserve Parekh

Oftentimes, teams that choose to rebuild can cause fan outbursts. That did not happen to the Flames, who made it clear that they will enter the renewal stage after trading their key players last season. While they are not happy about what’s to come over the next few seasons, most fans seem to be embracing the rebuilding plan.

Any NHL team is only as strong as its fan base, and while you can’t let them influence decisions, you can reward them from time to time. This will give Parekh more games to start the 2024-25 campaign, as it will both be interesting to watch his career, and give fans an idea of ​​what the future holds.

Hope in the Dressing Room on Fire

Giving Parekh more games can only be good for him and the fans. While the Flames have done a good job of cleaning out players who no longer wanted to be in Calgary, the rest are still competitive guys who want to win. Losing, who they think will do a lot this coming season, makes everyone angry at the end.

For players who may stay with the Flames for a while like Nazem Kadri, MacKenzie Weegar, and Jonathan Huberdeau, being able to see Parekh’s talent for at least a few games early in the season would help maintain morale in the locker room, as it would also show them that the future is bright.

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As mentioned before, with so many young players expected to be on the NHL roster this season, it is important that the spirits of the veterans rise. The last thing you want is a bad culture inside the dressing room, as it can lead to bad habits picked up by younger players. Often times, those bad habits are hard to reverse.

There is no risk in playing Parekh

As for the organization itself, there is absolutely no risk for them in giving Parekh more games. Being able to have short experience at the NHL level will not only be beneficial for his upcoming season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), but it could help his entire career in the years to come.

Parekh will be able to fit in a total of nine games before his signing is up. Given his age, it’s unlikely he’ll be ready for full-time NHL duty this season, meaning the Flames have no reason to own him. the commencement of the contract. That means if they play him in nine games, or even just a few, it would be a huge win for all parties involved, including the fans.

With no real aspirations to play this season, there is no harm in giving Parekh a few games to start the season. There is no real problem with him having hiccups, as winning is not the priority at this time. The most important thing for a young person is experience. Let’s hope the management and coaching staff realize this and keep him with the team throughout training camp until the start of the 2024-25 season.