The Calgary Flames recently made the shock move to acquire Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils, and with the right side now featuring Zayne Parekh, Nemec, Zach Whitecloud and Hunter Brzustewicz, many questioned the move when it was first announced.
However, there are reasons for this move, with some predicting the team could move Whitecloud to accommodate Nemec in the top-four, but now, that's been addressed by GM Craig Conroy. In an interview shortly after the trade was announced, Conroy noted that Zayne Parekh played a role in this trade, as Parekh reportedly told Conroy that he liked playing the left-side after doing so late in the 2025/26 season.
That led to the team believing they could take a shot on Nemec, with Conroy laying out the plans for a top-four of Bahl-Nemec and Parekh-Whitecloud next season:
"I thought Parekh played really well there with Whitecloud - Zayne actually said he enjoyed the left side more at the end of the year, so that's why I wasn't afraid to do something with another right shot guy."Craig Conroy, Flames GM
Craig Conroy said he envisions Nemec playing on the right side with Bahl, and Whitecloud playing on the right side with Parekh.
— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) June 23, 2026
"I thought Parekh played really well there with Whitecloud - Zayne actually said he enjoyed the left side more at the end of the year, so that's why I…
This is something that was believed to be short-term, but after Parekh found his footing on the left last season, ending the year with the Flames best goal of the 2025/26 campaign, there's a possibility the team explore this on a long-term basis. Obviously, there's also the potential option of trading Zach Whitecloud for an upgrade if things don't work out, but given the level of young talent the Flames have in the top-four if Parekh stays on the left, there's plenty to be excited about moving forward.
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