SCOUTING REPORTS
“Zayne Parekh had a monster year on the scoresheet putting up 33 goals and 63 assists, good enough to finish in the top 10 in OHL scoring. He’s the most dynamic offensive creator in the draft and can put up points in a multitude of ways. Parekh has a wicked shot with a quick and deceptive release. In addition to his shot, Parekh is a fearless player with the puck on his stick. He attempts passes others do not and he converts on a lot of them too. His entire game is built on deception, and he creates space for himself using impressive four-way mobility, edge work, head fakes, and look-offs. Parekh can play with too much confidence and try to stickhandle his way out of sticky situations. He could afford to show more urgency and dish the puck off to a teammate or simply make a clearing attempt. There’s almost no physical game with Parekh and his difficulties defending are real. He’s used to playing in a free-flowing system which gives him a lot of autonomy, but he’ll need to play more structured and compete harder in the NHL. The offensive upside with Parekh is undeniable. He should easily become a PP1 player who puts up a bunch of points, even if he plays down in the lineup at even strength.”
-Jordan Harris, Dobber Prospects
“Zayne Parekh is one of the better puck-moving defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft class. He loves to take advantage of tight passing lanes when on the rush and pressure intensifies. Parekh will complete outlet and stretch passes underneath the stick of the attacker with ease. When off puck but his team has possession of the puck, Parekh loves to jump into the rush and provide his teammates with a passing option up ice.”
-Josh Tessler, SMAHT Recruiting
“Parekh oozes offensive creativity, and this is what makes him special. He reads the offensive zone at such a high level, where he is able to beat the opposing defence in any regard. Parekh will beat them to the puck with his feet, he will beat them with his hands and deception, or he will simply beat them with a shot. He never attacks the same way twice, which makes him incredibly unpredictable. He possesses all of the offensive traits that you would want a forward to have, and he is a master at all of them from the point.”
-Joely Stockl, The Hockey News
