2024 NHL Draft Sneak Peek: Zayne Parekh Finds Footing with Spirit
In his rookie OHL season, dynamic defenseman Zayne Parekh rounded out his game, broke a record and made himself one to watch for the 2024 NHL draft.
The Saginaw Spirt are coming off a stellar season, but next year holds even more promise. Not only will the Spirit be hosting the Memorial Cup, but they’ll also be one of the most exciting teams to watch thanks to young guns such as exceptional-status star Michael Misa and 2024 NHL draft prospect Zayne Parekh.
Parekh has already made his own history, breaking the OHL record for goals by a 16-year-old defenseman this past season with 21 (Rick Corriveau held the record with 19 for the London Knights in 1987-88). And while he was known as a high-risk, high-reward offensive blueliner in his youth-hockey days in Toronto, Parekh has already proved the doubters wrong.
“Coming out of minor hockey, there were a lot of questions around Zayne about his defensive play,” said Saginaw GM Dave Drinkill. “Will he defend hard enough? Is he a one-dimensional player? But the rest of his game really rounded out, and he doesn’t get enough credit for how he defends. He has one of the best sticks I’ve seen in terms of breaking out plays and being able to transition to offense quickly.”
Parekh had a good role model in Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov. A 2022 first-rounder, Mintyukov was dealt to the Ottawa 67’s before the trade deadline (and was later named OHL defenseman of the year), but his influence on Parekh cannot be overstated.
Not only did Mintyukov take his young teammate under his wing, but they also rode to the rink together every day.
“He was everything for me,” Parekh said. “I met him early in the summer, and he was really kind to me. Coming into camp was a lot less terrifying because I knew ‘Pav’ already. He treated me like I was there last year, and we were best buddies. In practice, I would watch him, and after practice, he would do his own thing, so I would jump in with him. I learned so much from him just in the short time we were together.”
Though Saginaw was a good team in 2022-23, going for a Memorial Cup in 2024 means next year is even more crucial. Mintyukov was traded to Ottawa for a huge package of nine draft picks, some of which could be dealt by Drinkill before next season’s deadline in order to fortify the host team’s roster. Parting with a talent such as Mintyukov wasn’t easy, but the franchise believed Parekh could step up in his absence, and, indeed, the rookie had eight points in his final 10 games before adding nine in 11 playoff contests.
But even the best rookies need time to get adjusted to the OHL, and Parekh was no exception. An opportunity to play for Canada at the world under-17s in November helped Parekh find his footing. Suiting up for Canada Black, he led his team in scoring by a blueliner and finished tied for second overall on the team, with five points in seven games. Upon returning to Saginaw, he was in – pardon the pun – high spirits.
“You go back to playing guys your own age, and it gives you a whole new sense of confidence,” Parekh said. “Coming back, I got that first (goal) in my first game and got confidence from then on.”
Over this summer, Parekh hopes to put some more muscle on his six-foot, 170-pound frame while also getting faster and continuing to round out his game on defense. He’s in the gym five days a week, and next year, he’ll once again be able to concentrate pretty much all his efforts on hockey, because he’s already finished high school.
“It was more my dad pushing me to fast-track in preparation for this, but at the time, I didn’t know it,” Parekh said. “I had to thank him for that, and he laughed. But it made it so much easier, because I didn’t have to wake up at 7 a.m. every day. Instead, you’re just going to the rink for your morning ice, which made it so much easier for me.”
And make no mistake, it’s going to be a big year between the draft and the Memorial Cup. But Parekh has the skills on the ice and the personality in the room to make things work.
“We always say he has a million-dollar smile, a top-five smile in the league,” Drinkill said. “He’s always laughing and joking around with his teammates. He works hard at his craft, and he’s a very positive, likable teammate. You always know when Zayne is in the room.”
This sneak peek into one of the 2024 NHL draft's top prospects was featured in The Hockey News' 2023 Draft Preview issue. Receive the edition for free with an annual subscription at THN.com/free.