Zayne Parekh
While the Calgary Flames have some talented defensemen in the system, all their hopes lay in former No. 9 overall pick Zayne Parekh, who got his first full shot at the NHL level this season. Things didn't start off easy for the 20-year old however, with just two assists and a -3 differential through his first 23 games, with injuries and inconsistent playing time h olding him back.
Then, he went and represented Team Canada at the 2026 World Juniors, and following an AHL stint, everything changed for him at the next level. With the trade of Mackenzie Weegar too, Parekh got more and more playing time as the season went on, and after he tallied 4 goals and 7 points in his final 14 games of the season, he appeared to get more and more comfortable as the year rolled on.
There's still some major improving for Parekh to do, especially in the physicality department as he needs to put on signficant muscle, but simply put, he does things that can't be taught by coaches, and as his confidence grew, he put that on display. He may not be a star yet, and he may not be a star in 2026/27, but given the offensive upside, it's only a matter of time until we see the true Zayne Parekh in the NHL.
Grade: C+
Kevin Bahl
In the summer of 2024, the Calgary Flames acquired Kevin Bahl along with the pick that would result in Cole Reschny in exchange for Jacob Markstrom, and right now, it looks like a home run deal for the Flames. Not only is Reschny showing promise as a future top-six centre for the team, but Bahl has become the Flames No. 1 blue liner since the departures of several key defenseman, and in 2025/26, he was at his very best.
While Bahl missed time down the stretch, he tallied 4 goals and 18 points in 76 games played, but the most telling number for his success is having a +2 differential, as he was one of only four full-time Flames to be in the positives. On paper, Bahl is the perfect player for the Flames, as he's young enough at 25 to build with them into the future while having the veteran presence and leadership on the ice that's needed to produce now.
Ultimately, he'll likely never be an impactful top-pairing defenceman, but with his great production, fantastic defensive play and his leadership, it's hard to downplay how critical he is to the future of the franchise.
Grade: B+
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