Spirit’s Parekh sets new benchmark for blueliners

Saginaw Spirit defenceman Zayne Parekh continues to re-write the record book in his sophomore OHL season.

The NHL Draft eligible from Nobleton, Ont. made more Spirit history on Sunday, contributing a goal in a 5-3 road win over the North Bay Battalion to become the new single-season points leader by a blueliner in Spirit history.

Parekh’s record-setting point was his 27th goal of the season. He’d tack on an assist before all was said and done, finishing the afternoon with 79 points (27-52–79) over 52 games to lead all OHL defencemen. The new record surpasses the previous mark of 77 points held since the 2005-06 season by former Spirit captain Patrick McNeill.

Parekh’s latest record comes after he set the club’s single season mark for goals with 23 on Feb. 3rd against Barrie. He made a big splash in his rookie season, setting a new OHL record for goals by a 16-year-old defenceman as he closed out the 2022-23 campaign with 21.

Selected by Saginaw with the 18th overall pick of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, Parekh recently skated in the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton, New Brunswick. NHL Central Scouting has him rated as the 10th-ranked North American skater on their midseason list released on Jan. 12th.

Up next, Parekh eyes Saginaw’s single-season triple crown as he approaches McNeill’s 2005-06 mark of 56 assists. He’s currently five goals shy of McNeill’s long-standing record of 53 career goals by a Spirit blueliner.

Another milestone for Zayne Parekh! ✅

The star blueliner's latest goal breaks Patrick McNeill's record (77) for most points scored by a Spirit defenceman in a single-season 📽️@SpiritHockey | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/tuxm0wXpJM

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 18, 2024