Three takeaways as Zayne Parekh dazzles in Flames' pre-season win over Canucks

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeSportsHockeyNHLCalgary Flames Three takeaways as Zayne Parekh dazzles in Flames' pre-season win over Canucks 20-year-old blueliner looks like a different player from the one we saw last season, while Yegor Sharangovich and Maxim Tsyplakov also impress. Author of the article: By Daniel Austin Published Sep 22, 2026 Last updated 17 minutes ago 3 minute read Join the conversation The Calgary Flames celebrate a goal by Matt Coronato (second from right) against the Vancouver Canucks during pre-season action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOWICHUK /Postmedia Article content If that’s the Zayne Parekh we’re going to get this year, get ready for some fun this season. Article content The defenceman will have to do it against teams that are a lot more NHL-seasoned than the squad of mostly AHLers the Vancouver Canucks rolled out on Tuesday night at the Saddledome, of course.  Article content Article content But Parekh looked like a different player from the one we saw last season in the Flames’ 3-1 exhibition win. The way he skated, the way he saw the ice, the way he controlled the offensive zone … it looked a lot more like the guy who dominated the OHL two years ago than the rookie who was finding his feet in the NHL as a teenager in 2025-26. Article content Article content He looked good, in other words, especially with the puck on the stick in the offensive zone. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content “Yeah, I felt the way it looked,” Parekh said post-game. “Don’t want to get too high or too low, but just trying to build my game and make plays.” Article content There’s only so much anyone can take from a game between a Flames group that will likely start the regular season together and a Canucks team that was largely comprised of players who will be in the AHL, but it was nonetheless an encouraging performance from the young blueliner. Article content “I thought he played well tonight,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “I thought his first exhibition game he tried to do a lot with the puck, and tonight I thought he made plays that were…