Calgary Flames defensive depth has taken a big hit over the last year but they added offensive firepower with right-hander Parakh

The Calgary Flames had no choice in walking out top defencemen Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov last season. So with Tij Iginla already off the board, it made a lot of sense to choose a top blueline talent at the 2024 NHL Draft. With a run on forwards ahead of them, they snagged arguably the most elite offensive weapon from the back end in prospect Zayne Parekh at ninth overall. 

There has been plenty of talk about the potential return if the Flames decide to deal another high-end defenceman in Rasmus Andersson in the next year or two before his current contract expires in 2026. Snagging one of the big guns in the top 10 makes that more digestible, too. 

Parekh scored 33 goals in 66 games with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL. More than any other draft eligible defenceman. He led the Spirit with 96 points and helped lead the team to a Memorial Cup victory this year with another 11 points in 13 playoff contests.

Comparisons area alwas a bit unfair just minutes into a draft pick learning his landing place, but some have wondered if Parekh might find himself in Erik Karlsson territory before his NHL career is done. 

Obviously the Flames would love that to happen, and they felt strongly enough about Parekh to leave a few other high-end defence prospects on the board. 

Time will tell, but early signs throughout Parekh's journey have been stellar. He was 15-years-old when he graduated from high school. He broke the OHL goal scoring record for most goals by a 16-year-old blueliner (21) the next year and has great vision on the ice. 

The right-handed 18-year-old will be an exciting prospect to watch.