Canadian World Junior Team Called Out by Top-10 Pick for Shocking Snub
Photo credit: Hockey Saskatchewan
Top-10 pick and current Flames' Zayne Parekh called out Team Canada for snubbing him, and believes it has to do with faulty skate blades that made him fall.
The Calgary Flames' ninth overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft, Zayne Parekh, shared his true thoughts about being snubbed from Team Canada's World Juniors camp recently.
Appearing on the Empty Netters podcast, Zayne Parekh revealed that during the Canadian camp, he struggled significantly with his skating. He explained that he had no edge on his right side, which led him to fall repeatedly whenever he tried to turn.
Despite switching his blades at least six times, possibly more, the issue persisted, and he felt his performance was understandably poor, leading to his eventual cut from the camp.
"It was a weird feeling," Parekh said. "I think when I did get invited at camp, I actually had no edge on my right the entire camp. Anytime I was trying to turn, I was falling, like, dude, he can't even skate. I think I switched my blades at least six times, like it just wasn't changing. So I just kept falling the whole camp. And I wasn't surprised I got cut to be honest, I couldn't skate up the ice."
Parekh scored his first NHL goal during the last game of the NHL season
Parekh really stole the show after scoring his first NHL goal in the Calgary Flames' final game of the season in April, which was a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
The 19-year-old became the sixth-youngest defenseman in NHL history to score in a debut game, which shows the promise that he has for the future.
Last season, the 19-year-old lacked the experience and time to prepare for showcasing his skills at an elite level; however, this time, he feels more prepared and confident that he will be able to set the tone from the get-go.
"I didn't have a lot of time last year to prepare for camp, and I was in over my head. Especially when you're kind of nervous and, [thinking] 'hopefully I don't mess up or make a mistake,' you're kind of attracting those thoughts, and it's gonna come," Parekh said via Sportsnet.«So, I think this time around, I'm more confident. I mean, I got a taste at the end, I understand kind of what it takes to play in the NHL. I got a little grasp of it, so hopefully that'll help," he added.
Before making his NHL debut, Parekh picked up 107 points through 33 goals and 74 assists in 64 games with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 24 | 33 ANSWERS Canadian World Junior Team Called Out by Top-10 Pick for Shocking Snub Do you believe Zayne Parekh's faulty skate blades are to blame for him being snubbed? | ||
| Yes | 11 | 33.3 % |
| No | 22 | 66.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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