Zayne Parekh keeps coming up with moments that make you stop and stare, even when they don’t end the way he wants. Against the Rangers, he delivered another sequence that looked destined to become a goal - and maybe the kind of clip that gets replayed all night - only for it to finish as one more “almost” in a growing collection.
Parekh admitted afterward that even he had to laugh at how the play unfolded.
“I think I was laughing at the play a little bit, it seemed a little bit outrageous but it was outrageous that he got a blocker on it, too,” Parekh said post-game. “I just got a little high and a little inside out and I thought he might stick with it and then I thought the play was going to be dead when I tried to slip a guy’s triangle and next thing I know I was in the slot and was looking for a pass back-door and nothing was there. So I tried to wrap it and I think he makes a lucky save to be honest.”
It was the kind of chance the Flames needed to finish against a Rangers team that stays compact defensively and gets elite goaltending. Instead, the play ended without a goal, even though Parekh had created something from nothing.
That’s becoming a theme. The 20-year-old is turning into must-watch viewing, especially when Calgary’s power play is rolling through him. The skill is obvious, and so is the reaction he’s getting from teammates.
“I don’t want his ego to get too big, but the plays he’s making are special,” said Flames veteran Ryan Strome, who was speaking with a smile on his face and Parekh within earshot. “There’s not many guys in the NHL who can get the puck on their stick and transform the way the ice works.
For Parekh, though, the frustration is starting to pile up in the same place: the finish. The highlights are there.
The setup is there. The end result keeps slipping away.
“Almost. That’s the key word these days,” the blueliner said. “It feels like it’s just almost working for me and I can’t finish these off.”
In Other News...
Flames Face A Frustrating Offensive Problem At The Worst Time
The Flames ran into a familiar kind of frustration at the Scotiabank Saddledome, where a 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers once again put their offensive issues under the microscope. Calgary did get on the board on the power play in the third period, but for long stretches the group struggled to create anything at even strength against a Rangers defensive setup that made life difficult from the opening puck drop.
For a team trying to find any kind of rhythm, the timing could hardly be worse. The Flames need more than a special-teams burst to keep pace in games like this, especially when the other side is disciplined enough to limit clean looks and force the play away from the middle of the ice. Instead, Calgary was left chasing the game, and the empty-netter only added to a night that underscored how hard goals are coming right now. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Prospect Trevor Hoskin Is Forcing A Bigger Timeline Debate
Trevor Hoskins rise at Merrimack has started to give the Flames something to think about beyond the usual patient prospect track. Drafted 106th overall in 2024, he has kept building momentum through junior and now college hockey, and his offensive impact at the NCAA level has made him one of the more interesting names in Calgarys system.
For a team always balancing immediate needs with long-term development, Hoskin is pushing the conversation in a useful direction. He is producing at a level that suggests his timeline may not be as distant as some fourth-round picks, even if the expectation remains that he finishes his junior season before turning pro. The bigger question now is how quickly that growth translates once the Flames decide the next step is worth taking. [Read more 🡒]
Brennan Othmann Arrives In Calgary With Something To Prove
Brennan Othmann arrives in Calgary with the kind of fresh start that usually comes only after a player decides his current situation is no longer working. The former first-round pick by the New York Rangers was moved to the Flames just before the trade deadline, with prospect Jacob Battaglia going the other way, after Othmann grew frustrated with his role and the pace of his development in New York.
For Calgary, the appeal is obvious: a young winger with pedigree, edge and something to prove. Flames coach Mike Sullivan has already pointed to Othmanns potential while also acknowledging he remains a raw player, which makes the next stretch important for both sides. The Flames are betting they can give him a clearer runway, and Othmann is stepping into it with the kind of urgency that comes when a player feels his career needs a reset. [Read more 🡒]