WATCH: Zayne Parekh drops the hard edit for his official entry to the NHL with the Calgary Flames

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jul 10, 2024 15:06 GMT

On July 5, 2024, the Calgary Flames signed Zayne Parekh. He agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract. The contract is worth $2.925 million.

Parekh was drafted ninth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. He recently won the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit. Parekh is now attending his first development camp in Calgary.

On July 5, 2024, Parekh posted a video on Instagram. It announced his NHL entry with a hard edit. Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy introduced Parekh from the Saginaw Spirit, Memorial Cup champs.

The video shows Parekh's hockey career. It shows his best moments in the OHL. Parekh set the record for goals by a 17-year-old defenseman.

The video was captioned:

"Inked up ✍️ Thankful for Dan, and Vlad. Best in the Business. To my family and Calgary, thank you for this opportunity. Excited to be a Flame, Let’s get it!".

During a press conference on July 5, 2024, Parekh expressed excitement about joining the Flames.

"I'm enjoying this Flames gear, I think it looks good on me and suits me well," Parekh said."I'm glad the whole draft process is kind of over and I can start getting to work."

Parekh is an offensive defenseman. He scored 96 points last season. He led all CHL defensemen in points and won the Max Kaminsky Trophy.

This award is for the OHL's Most Outstanding Defenseman. He also won the CHL Defenseman of the Year award.

Parekh is known for his accurate shot and vision. He is deceptive with the puck and strong on his edges. The Flames' newly signed prodigy scored 33 goals, a record for Saginaw defensemen. Parekh added 11 points in 13 playoff games.

Scouts have noted areas for improvement in Zayne Parekh's defensive play. He tends to reach for pucks rather than taking the body. Parekh is not very physical. Despite this, he stands by his style and is confident it will work in the NHL.

Calgary Flames also sign Matvei Gridin and Etienne Morin

Calgary Flames also signed Matvei Gridin on the same day. Gridin was a 2024 first-round pick. He agreed to an entry-level contract running until 2026-27.

The contract has a $975,000 annual cap hit. Gridin is a six-foot-one forward from Kurgan, Russia. He played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL.

Gridin surged to 83 points in 60 games last season. This was a significant jump from 19 points the year before.

Calgary acquired the 28th overall pick in a trade. This trade involved sending Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks.

Calgary Flames also signed Etienne Morin. He was a 2023 second-round pick. Both players agreed to entry-level contracts.