Zayne Parekh has one Memorial Cup game under his belt, and the pressure of the grand stage did not waiver his focus at all.
Zayne Parekh has been widely regarded as a top NHL Draft prospect heading into the Entry Draft at the end of June. Recently, he's been boosted into a top ten — or even top five range by many analysts.
When watching Parekh, there are shades of Quinn Hughes, Adam Fox, Roman Josi — the list goes on. Parekh has an elite offensive skill set from the blue line, and his tool box is never empty. He is always finding new methods of attack offensively, and he seems to find a way to combat his opponent's defence in every single game.
For a lot of younger players, the pressure of the stage of the Memorial Cup would be intimidating.
Not for Zayne Parekh. He is lazer-focused.
In his first game of the round robin against the Moose Jaw Warriors, Parekh was all over the puck. His confidence was at an all-time high, and he was creating opportunities as soon as the puck dropped.
His variety in attack methods is incredibly difficult for defensive systems to track, and he was able to seek open scoring lanes for himself on several occasions. He had a through-traffic shot that led to an assist on Saginaw's first goal of the game, added a primary assist on Owen Beck's goal, and potted a goal of his own by creating open ice for himself in the high slot.
There is a reason that Parekh was the highest-scoring defender in the entire CHL, and he is proving that so far at the 2024 Memorial Cup. His team may be overlooked as the host city, but Zayne Parekh is a can't-miss talent.
He took the Player of the Game honours against the Moose Jaw Warriors, tallying three points — including a goal and two primary assists.
If the Spirit hoist the Memorial Cup in just over a week, you can bet that a large factor will be the performance of Zayne Parekh.