Zayne Parekh is only 19 years old, but there’s almost no chance he’ll be playing junior hockey this year. Article content

Under the CHL–NHL transfer agreement, 19-year-olds aren’t eligible for the AHL unless they’ve completed four full junior seasons. Article content Article content

That means Parekh’s only options are Calgary or Saginaw.

Given his body of work, the Flames’ ninth-overall pick in 2024 is expected to push hard for an NHL job out of camp.

Make no mistake, that body of work is exceptional. Over the past two seasons in the CHL, Parekh became the first OHL defenceman in over a decade to crack 100 points, capping a 33-goal, 107-point year by leading Saginaw to a Memorial Cup.

Nevertheless, it’s incredibly rare for young defenders to step directly out of junior and make

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