Snubbed Zayne Parekh takes shots at Team Canada after embarrassing loss to Latvia
Team Canada suffered arguably their most embarrassing defeat ever at the World Junior Championship and snubbed Zayne Parekh and took shots at them.
Zayne Parekh is turning heads and he knows it. In 28 games this season with the Ontario Hockey League's Saginaw Spirit, Zayne Parekh has scored 11 goals and had 36 points.
The Calgary Flames selection, coming at pick No. 9 of the 2024 NHL Draft, had lofty billing from analysts based on a solid play style of smooth skating paired with high-level offense, an assertion by many to have solidified Parekh's placement with Canadian junior elites.
Last season, Parekh led all OHL defencemen with 33 goals and 96 points, spearheading Saginaw's Memorial Cup championship run.
He was subsequently named to the OHL First All-Star Team and was the CHL's top defenceman, the first draft-year recipient since Chris Pronger in 1993.
Despite being a top prospect, Parekh didn't make Team Canada's roster for this year's IIHF World Junior Championship, joining fellow top-10 picks Beckett Sennecke (ANA) and Carter Yakemchuk (OTT) on the sidelines.
Their absence was glaring Friday night when Team Latvia pulled off a 3-2 shootout victory over Canada that left fans in disbelief.
Adding intrigue, Parekh and Saginaw teammate Michael Misa, another Team Canada snub, liked an Instagram post about Latvia's upset and Parekh retweeted highlights of NHL stars Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, a subtle reminder of his offensive-defensive hybrid skill set.
With Matthew Schaefer exiting Friday's game with an injury, reinforcements may now be required. While backup Sawyer Mynio of the Vancouver Giants is a logical addition, Parekh is a tantalizing option.
His skill and swagger may be the spark Team Canada's sputtering power play needs. Confident and singularly talented, Parekh actually embodies the mantra that sometimes the best defense is a good offense.
With Canada heading into critical games with Germany and the U.S., though, Parekh's absence just continues to raise questions and eyebrows.
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