Color of Hockey: Parekh already breaking scoring records as OHL rookie

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Zayne Parekh, a defenseman with Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League, who has set a league record for most goals by a 16-year-old defenseman in a single season.

Zayne Parekh said his goal of being a key player as a rookie for Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League looked like a pipe dream early in the season.
Through his first nine games, the rookie defenseman, who turned 17 on Feb. 15, had no goals and two assists, and was frustrated.
"It was just the whole adjustment from minor hockey," Parekh said. "It was kind of a rough ride."
It got smoother when Parekh played for Canada in the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in British Columbia in November and had five points (three goals, two assists) in seven games.
He's been on fire ever since.
Parekh has 33 points (20 goals, 13 assists) in 46 games, and set an OHL record for most goals by a 16-year-old defenseman when he scored his 20th in a 6-2 win at Soo on Feb. 15.

The mark had been held by Rick Corriveau of London in 1987-88. Corriveau was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the second round (No. 31) of the 1989 NHL Draft but did not sign. He was taken by the Washington Capitals in the eighth round (No. 168) of the 1991 NHL Draft but never played in the NHL.
Corriveau scored his 19th goal in his 63rd game of the season. Parekh notched his 20th in his 41st game.
Parekh ranks fourth in goals among OHL defensemen this season and first among league rookie defensemen. He's the third-leading goal scorer among all OHL rookies and third in goals for Saginaw (32-24-4).
"Once I had the under-17 tournament, I came back with a whole new kind of confidence and I got my first (goal) on my first game back and I kind of just settled in from there," he said. "I'm just kind of capitalizing on my chances, getting a few a game … it's just me being a scorer and a lot of my teammates are helping me out with that."

Saginaw coach Chris Lazary said the team knew it was getting a talented player when they chose Parekh with the No. 19 pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection draft in April, but they never expected him to score at a record-setting pace in his first season.
"I don't think we anticipated him being this much of an impact player, but then I don't think anybody else in the league did either, otherwise he would have gone earlier," Lazary said. "To his credit, he kind of had a chip on his shoulder. Going 19th is special for a kid but I think he thought he should have gone higher, and I think he's done a good job proving to people that he should have."
Lazary said one of the keys to Parekh's success is he plays a fearless game.
"Sometimes you get a young player that plays safe and plays nervous, and we really stress to our guys that we don't want that," Lazary said. "'Zayner' has done a really good job just playing free in a sense and try to make plays that maybe he wouldn't be allowed to make in other places, and then there's obviously his skillset. "He's an elite skater, he's got great vision, he's got a good set of hands, he's got a really good shot."

Another asset is Parekh's understanding of where to shoot pucks, Lazary said.
"A lot of guys will get good spots and they shoot it kind of toward the middle of the net," he said. "He's really good, depending on the angle, at putting it to areas where it should go in, and I think that's a big part of his success."
Parekh has also achieved success in the classroom. He finished high school two years early and has taken some courses through the University of Toronto.
"It's given him more of an opportunity to focus on hockey and getting his rest," said Dr. Azim Parekh, Zayne's father.
Parekh said his favorite NHL player is Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, but he's modeling his game after Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.
"I watch a lot of his clips," he said. "I try to do a few things in practice when I have free time. I throw a few drills in there, the skating and offensive stuff he does."
Parekh is the son of Canadian parents of Indian and South Korean heritage and the youngest of three hockey-playing brothers.
Adyin Parekh, 21, is a defenseman for Georgetown of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Isa Parekh, 19, is also a defenseman for Georgetown is committed to play at Bemidji State University in Minnesota next season.

The siblings briefly were teammates when they played for North York of the the OJHL.
Who's the best player of the three?
"I'd like to think me, just to [mess] with them," Zayne said with a laugh. "But we don't think that way. We just enjoy each other's company."
Photos: Steven Frank/Saginaw Spirit