'An ankle-breaker': Canada's Zayne Parekh unfazed by spotlight as world juniors loom

Zayne Parekh cut a slightly different figure.

The Calgary Flames defenceman known for his positive, laid-back outlook seemed a little gloomy.

Parekh was navigating his first full NHL season when he suffered an upper-body injury in early November. As the 19-year-old worked his way back to full health, general manager Craig Conroy floated the idea of joining Canada for the world junior hockey championship.

"The biggest thing that they noticed was some days I wasn't always having that smile on my face like I usually do," Parekh said. "That's something they want from me. When (Conroy) asked if I wanted to go, I immediately said yes.

"They just want me to go have fun and get my groove back."

With that one conversation, the men's under-20 national program got a big boost.

Despite putting up just one assist in 11 games with Calgary, the smooth-skating, right-shot talent from Nobleton, Ont., has been showing off his elite offensive skill at Canada's training camp.

Parekh put up 33 goals and 107 points in 2024-25 with the Saginaw Spirit to lead all Canadian Hockey League blueliners. The ninth overall pick at the 2024 NHL draft also became just the second defenceman in Ontario Hockey League/Ontario Hockey Association history — joining Bobby Orr — to put up consecutive 30-goal seasons.

"Dynamic," said Dale Hunter, who's back to coach Canada after winning gold in 2020. "I call him an ankle-breaker. He's made a few of our wingers fall down. He gives a head fake, he's got great hands and got great vision."

The six-foot, 187-pound Parekh wasn't initially invited to last year's selection camp before being added due to an injury. He got into a couple of scrimmages against Canadian university players, but was among the cuts.

"I wanted to