'One Of My Closest Friends'

SAN JOSE — He’s found his stride.

And Zayne Parekh is feeling good about his game, heading into a matchup against one of his best buddies Monday, when the Flames continue their three-game road swing against the Sharks at SAP Center.

Parekh and Sharks centre Michael Misa are two years removed from winning a Memorial Cup together as members of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and tonight’s contest is sure to be appointment viewing for puck knowers in that part of the Wolverine State.

It’s the second time Parekh and Misa have squared off against each other at the NHL level, with Zayne’s Flames holding a 1-0 series lead thus far.

The pair were drafted by Calgary and San Jose in the first rounds in successive years and Misa's older brother, Luke - a sophomore at Penn State - was, like Parekh, a Flames selection in 2024.

“He’s one of my closest friends,” Parekh smiled after a brisk morning twirl Monday. “It’s funny seeing him and playing against him now. I'll make sure the guys give it to them a little bit, but I saw him last night, and it seems like he’s having fun here.

“It’ll be a good game tonight.”

Parekh and Misa finished 1-2 in Spirit scoring during their memorable 2023-24 campaign, one which saw Saginaw become the first U.S. host of the Memorial Cup in 26 years, a tournament that went right down to the wire as the Spirit dispatched their rival London Knights in the final game.

This season, Parekh enters the month of November tied with Simon Nemec for Calgary's scoring lead among defencemen, with three of his five points coming in the Flames’ last five games. 

For the 20-year-old, it’s a starting point to a sophomore pro season that’s already got fans buzzing.

“Obviously, I want to produce more, but I feel like I'm doing the right things and creating enough to get production,” he explained. “I'm feeling really good.”

Parekh has become a mainstay on Calgary’s top powerplay unit, a group that’s helped the Flames start November with the third-best man-advantage efficiency in the NHL.

But as he prepares for that on-ice reunion with Misa, Parekh is just as optimistic about his play at 5-on-5, paired with steady defender Yan Kuznetsov. 

The duo holds a 61.11% share of the high-danger chances when deployed together, as well as a .944 on-ice save percentage, per Natural Stat Trick.

Taking care of business at one end, so Parekh can fly at the other.

“I feel like we've been really good,” Parekh said. “We haven't really given up too much, and we're creating every night, so we're doing a good job, I think. 

“He allows me to play my game and simplify a little bit. He's been great, so it's been fun playing with him.”