Zayne Parekh
| Zayne Parekh | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
February 15, 2006 Nobleton, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| OHL team | Saginaw Spirit | ||
| NHL Draft | Eligible 2024 | ||
Zayne Parekh (born February 15, 2006) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman for the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is considered a top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career[edit]
While playing AAA hockey for the Markham Majors in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, Parekh was selected 19th overall in the 2022 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft by the Saginaw Spirit.[1] He signed with the Spirit on May 19 and made his OHL debut on October 1, in a 10–6 victory over the Guelph Storm.[2]
In his first full OHL season in 2022–23, Parekh recorded 21 goals and 37 points across 50 games, breaking the record for most goals by a 16-year-old defenceman.[3] He was named to the CHL All-Rookie Team and the OHL First All-Rookie Team.[4][5]
On January 20, 2024, Parekh tied the Saginaw Spirit club record set by Patrick McNeill for most goals by a defenseman in a single season,[6] and not long after was selected as one of 40 draft-eligible prospects to attend the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.[7] He was suspended for two games following an incident after a stoppage in play during a game against the Windsor Spitfires on January 21, 2024.[8] Entering the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Parekh's strengths such as his skating, strong shot, and puckhandling were applauded, while concerns were raised about his decision making and positioning, drawing comparisons to Erik Karlsson.[9][10][11]
International play[edit]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  Canada
| ||
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | ||
 |
2023 Czechia/Slovakia | |
Parekh represented Canada at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, recording three assists in five games, helping the team win a gold medal.[12]
Personal life[edit]
Parekh is of Indian and South Korean heritage and the youngest of three hockey-playing brothers.[13]
Career statistics[edit]
Regular season and playoffs[edit]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2021–22 | North York Rangers | OJHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 50 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 32 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 14 | ||
| OHL totals | 50 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 32 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 14 | ||||
International[edit]
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Canada | HG18 | 
|
5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||||
References[edit]
- ^ Bernreuter, Hugh (May 1, 2022). "Saginaw Spirit finish off 2022 draft after notable No. 1 pick". mlive.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ "NEWS: Spirit announce signings of Zayne Parekh, Bode Stewart". CHL.ca. Saginaw Spirit. May 19, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Ryan (July 21, 2023). "2024 NHL Draft Sneak Peek: Zayne Parekh Finds Footing with Spirit". thehockeynews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Tidcombe, Matt (June 1, 2023). "2022-23 CHL All-Star Teams announced". CHL.ca. Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Malone, Mark (June 2, 2023). "Four Sting players chosen OHL all-stars". theobserver.ca. The Sarnia Observer. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Szumowicz, Austin (January 21, 2024). "Parekh ties McNeill as Spirit defeat Petes 3-1". WNEM. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Spiker, Brianne (January 24, 2024). "Top prospects in spotlight at CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on TSN". tsn.ca. The Sports Network. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Stockl, Joely (January 26, 2024). "Zayne Parekh Suspended for Two Games by OHL After Game Versus Kingston". thehockeynews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Orth, Jordan (February 25, 2024). "Catching Up with Saginaw Spirit Defenseman Zayne Parekh". thehockeywriters.com. The Hockey Writers. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Kalakeche, Hadi (February 16, 2024). "DobberProspects' Mid-Season Top 64 for the 2024 NHL Draft". dobberprospects.com. DobberProspects. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Ryan (March 1, 2024). "Future Watch Weekly: In Defense of Zayne Parekh – The Next Erik Karlsson?". The Hockey News. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ "Misa, Parekh take gold at 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup". CHL.ca. August 5, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
- ^ Douglas, William. "Color of Hockey: Parekh already breaking scoring records as OHL rookie". NHL. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database