The boos for Utah owners Ryan and Ashley Smith rained down at Vegas Sphere immediately after Gary Bettman welcomed the two to the draft stage Friday night.
“You can’t boo us,” joked Ryan, “we haven’t even done anything yet.”
That all changed seconds later, when Ashley became public enemy no. 1 in Calgary for selecting Tij Iginla sixth overall.
So much for Calgary’s dream draft scenario.
It took all of about five minutes and three picks later for the Flames’ focus to turn quickly on another exciting storyline that saw the club land the most intriguing and dynamic defencemen available this year: Zayne Parekh.
One year after setting an OHL record for defencemen with 21 goals as a 16-year-old rookie, the native of Nobleton, Ont., posted a season for the ages, scoring 33 goals and finishing with 96 points to lead all CHL blue liners.
Tidy work for a 66-game season that saw him turn 18 in February.
His high-risk, high-reward style of play drew comparisons to Erik Karlsson, which is lofty praise for a six-foot, 180-pound defender.
“You should have seen me at the start of the year – it wasn’t too pretty,” laughed Parekh when asked by Pat Steinberg on Sportsnet 960 about his defensive adventures.
“But at the end of the year, I really dialled it in.
“You’re not drafting me to defend, you’re drafting me to be a dynamic puck mover.
I’m still ironing out that side of the game and it’s a big thing for me.”
By season’s end, he was good enough to help Saginaw raise the Memorial Cup.
“I think he could be special,” said Flames GM Craig Conroy.
“The offence, the way he sees the ice… he’s got some risk on the ice but that’s what makes him so special.
“I know people are going to say he’s going to have to work defensively, but he’s got special offensive gifts for sure. He just sees stuff other people don’t. We can teach him how to defend.”
Learning is his forte, as Parekh graduated high school early and enrolled in classes at the University of Toronto as a 17-year-old.
For what it’s worth, he was the only prospect capable of completing the Rubik’s Cube at this year’s combine.
In less than 40 seconds, he’s quick to add.
The only thing he’s got more of than scoring instincts is confidence.
“I think I’m an offensive defenceman, a really dynamic one,” said the OHL’s most outstanding defenceman, who added 16 points in 18 playoff games.
“I like to play with the puck. I think I’m a creative kid and like to express my creativity on the ice. I have a pretty good hockey IQ too. Not a bad combination there, I think it’s pretty deadly. It helps me play hockey.”
Parekh finished four points ahead of Kitchener’s Hunter Brzustewicz, who the Flames acquired last season in the Elias Lindholm trade, giving the Flames an exciting pair of studs to build around on a back end the team is working hard to replenish.
They already have a rapport.
“Hunter has been a pretty big influence on me this year,” said Parekh.
“I’ve competed with him all year to beat him out for a couple things. I won’t list those things. He texts me all the time and congratulates me all the time on things that have happened and I text him and congratulate him too.
“Unreal kid. Great person and personality.”
The Flames have been familiar with the Parekh family for a while, as Zayne’s 20-year-old brother, Isa, was recently invited to attend the Flames summer development camp, also as a defenceman.
“My agent brought it up and said, ‘ya, you can beat him up if you want,’” laughed the effervescent Parekh, whose brother played with Nanaimo last year.
“I’ve got to get a photo with him when we get to camp.”
He’ll also want to get a pic with the Flames 28th pick overall, Russian-born Matvei Gridin, who led the USHL with 38 goals and 83 points in 60 games with Muskegon.
“High-end skill, scores, good shot, good hands — all around just a solid player,” said Conroy of the 6-foot-2, 189-pound right winger who is committed to play with the University of Michigan next year.
“He’s got size and can skate too. A great package. You can tell he’s an athlete.”
The draft resumes Saturday with the Flames selecting twice in each of the second, third and fourth rounds, as owners of nine picks overall.
