The 2024 NHL Draft is going to be a big one for the Ottawa Senators. The team’s prospect pool is in ruins following several poor drafts, so the pressure will be on the new management group to make this year’s first-round picks count. Thankfully, with the seventh and 26th picks, as well as an early second and four fourth-round picks, they are set up to do some damage on the draft floor. But who should the Senators be looking at?
A couple of weeks ago, I looked at the Senators’ biggest holes in their farm system and current roster and came up with three priorities to address with their first-round picks: a top-pairing right-shot defenceman, center depth, and support on the right wing. In the days and weeks leading up to the draft, I’ll now look at some players expected to be selected in the first round that could best fit those areas, as well as some risks associated with each pick. So, let’s get started with a player that many have the Senators taking with their first pick, right-shot defenceman Zayne Parekh.
Zayne Parekh Scouting Report
Parekh is a dynamic offensive defenceman playing with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). This season, his second in the league, he led all defencemen with 33 goals and 96 points, setting a record for the most points scored by a defender since Ryan Ellis hit 100 in 2010-11. He also became just the second defenceman to cross the 30-goal mark in 24 years and the 27th since the OHL was founded in 1974-75. In the playoffs, he continued to dominate, finishing with 11 points in 13 games before being eliminated by the London Knights in the third round, then going on to put up five more points in four games in the Memorial Cup, helping the hosting Spirit return to face the Knights in the Final.
Already a rarity among blueliners, what makes Parekh truly unique is that he also shoots right, a skill that has become increasingly important in today’s NHL and making him a hot commodity heading into the 2024 NHL Draft. Here’s what The Hockey Writers‘ Jordon Orth had to say about Parekh’s potential in his scouting report:
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
“Parekh has all of the potential to have the same impact that his former teammate Pavel Mintyukov has had for the Anaheim Ducks due to his offensive game. With the right development and added muscle and weight to his frame, he could become a top-four defenseman on whatever team takes…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…