Flames Mailbag: Could top prospect Parekh join Calgary’s playoff push?
The vibes are high in Calgary on the heels of a three-game sweep of New York teams. Which means it’s as good a time as any for Sportsnet’s Pat Steinberg to open up the mailbag and talk all things Flames — including Zayne Parekh, Dustin Wolf and more.
Calgary just put together one heck of a road trip.
After a 6-2 loss one week ago in Toronto, the Flames rattled off impressive wins through the New York area against the Rangers, Devils and Islanders. In fact, per Sportsnet Stats, it’s the first time in franchise history Calgary has swept the three New York teams.
With the vibes high, the Flames enter a new week four points back of the rolling St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With this fight set to come down to the last few days of the season, we’ve got plenty to dive into in our latest Flames mailbag.
This is one of the hottest questions in this market right now and it’s regarding Zayne Parekh, Calgary’s first pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Parekh just completed a historic season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, including a second straight 33-goal season.
As a result, Parekh became just the second defenceman in OHL/OHA history to record multiple 30-goal seasons, joining Bobby Orr in the mid-1960s. And, by finishing the regular season with 107 points, Parekh completed the most productive season by an OHL D-man since Jamie Rivers recorded 121 in 1993-94.
There’s legit reason for a lot of excitement here. In Parekh, the Flames undoubtedly have their best prospect since Matthew Tkachuk was drafted in 2016. But a surprise NHL debut à la Cale Makar in 2019 is likely not in the cards, as great a story as it might be.
Still, in saying that, there’s a strong possibility we could see Parekh in NHL action this calendar year.
Next season will be Parekh’s 19-year-old campaign in the OHL, which means he’s once again ineligible for action in the American Hockey League. At this point, there’s essentially nothing for Parekh to accomplish at the major junior level and I believe the Flames will give him every chance to win an NHL job come training camp this fall.
Parekh will have to put on size and strength over the summer and show significant growth in his defensive game at camp. But even if Parekh doesn’t play a full schedule (think Leo Carlsson in his rookie season with the Ducks), seeing him spend a good chunk of next season in the NHL is a very real possibility.
Maureen’s question is also a hot one in Calgary right now.
Wolf is enjoying a spectacular rookie season and will almost certainly finish as a Calder Trophy finalist. From metrics like high-danger save percentage, goals saved above expected, wins above replacement and more, Wolf ranks among the NHL’s best. And while Wolf isn’t the only reason the Flames remain in playoff contention with 13 games to go, his play is clearly at the top of the list.
Currently in the first year of a two-year contract, Wolf is eligible for an extension starting July 1. And there are two schools of thoughts here.
The first is investing in the 23-year-old Wolf with a long-term pact. I think about the six-year, $36 million extension Jordan Binnington signed a little less than two years after backstopping the Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019 as a comparable. Inked when he was 27, Binnington has had his ups and downs since, but I don’t think St. Louis has regretted the decision at any point.
Yet thinking about it from the player’s perspective, a shorter term may be more desirable. A two-year bridge, for instance, would give Wolf three additional seasons to put up similar numbers to this rookie campaign. That would put the Wolf camp in line for a much larger payday right around the same age of 27.
Give Dan Vladar a ton of credit. With Wolf’s success, Vladar has moved into the understudy role between the pipes after starting the season as part of a 50/50 tandem. But Vladar’s success since the beginning of February has been vital in keeping Calgary in the playoff hunt.
Since making 29 saves in a win over Seattle on Feb. 2, which just happened to end a winless run stretching back to early December, Vladar has routinely been strong. Over his last seven appearances, Vladar has gone 4-1-1 with a .919 save percentage, including big wins over Washington and most recently the Islanders.
This turn of form has made it seem far more likely the Flames and pending UFA Vladar would agree to a new contract. The tandem of Vladar and Wolf has worked well, and despite so-so numbers, the former has typically given Calgary a chance to win in his starts.
What’s interesting is where Vladar’s head will be at. If he opts to return, it would be with the understanding Wolf is the goalie of the future. Is Vladar okay with Wolf getting 60 or 65 per cent of the starts going forward? Or is finding a spot with more playing opportunity the priority?
The answer to this one is yes — and maybe more than one.
The Flames signed college free agent goaltender Owen Say to a one-year, two-way contract on Monday. He just wrapped up a solid season with Notre Dame where he went 10-15-0 with a .920 save percentage, the latter of which was third best in the NCAA’s Big Ten. Calgary really likes Say’s skating and movement as he joins a goaltending depth chart already full of promising prospects.
As Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported earlier this month, the Flames have also been linked to University of Denver captain Carter King. Listed at five-foot-11 and 190 pounds, King is a born and raised Calgarian, which adds to the intrigue. Known for his high work rate and two-way game, the forward posted 20 goals and 40 points this season. Already a two-time national champion, King leads Denver into the NCAA tournament starting Friday against Providence College.
