How Zayne Parekh, Brent Seabrook turned WJC rejection into mentorship

CALGARY — One year after being dealt the biggest setback of his young career, Zayne Parekh opened camp Friday with the Canadian junior team that cut him last season.

It was a blow likely to motivate and infuriate the Calgary Flames prospect for years.

So when the Flames hired Brent Seabrook, one of the men on Team Canada’s selection committee, to oversee the development of the Calgary’s top young blue liners, the first meeting between the two seemed destined to be uncomfortable.        

Even Flames GM Craig Conroy admitted he was nervous about the opening exchange between three-time Stanley Cup winner and young Parekh.

However, before training camp opened in Calgary, Parekh demonstrated a class and maturity beyond his years by reaching out to Seabrook with words that comforted everyone involved.

“I sent him a text,” revealed the 19-year-old defenceman in a summertime chat.

“I’m like, ‘Hey, about what happened…, I’m not going to hold grudges. It’s over with.’”

Phew.

“It was a little awkward at the start, but we sat down for dinner when I first got here,” added Parekh.

“Since then, it has been great working with him, because he’s so knowledgeable.”

Even Seabrook, who had the steely nerves to help steer Chicago to Stanley Cup wins in 2010, 2013 and 2015, admitted he wasn’t sure how uneasy their first chat would be when they sat to break bread.

“I was nervous about that because I was in the room when we told him he didn’t make the team, and I shook his hand — it was definitely a tough one,” said Seabrook shortly after opening his first camp with the Flames.

“I think I was just honest with him, told him why he wasn’t on the team, and that while I was part of that group that had to make the decision, it wasn’t really my decision.

“We had a lot of great defencemen there, and he understood that. We talked about it, and he didn’t have a great camp. We’re not picking a team for six months, we’re picking a team for 10 days. There’s a lot of different things that go into it.

“We just sort of got it off the table. I was hoping he was receptive to the information, and what happened in the past is in the past. I’m here to help.”

The relationship has flourished ever since, giving Parekh a highly decorated mentor, sounding board and teacher who has worked hard to build confidence, structure and pace to Parekh’s game as he prepares for a shot at proving doubters wrong.

Who better to learn from than a former world junior gold medallist?    

Last year Parekh was a late invite to Team Canada’s camp as an injury replacement, putting him behind the eight ball from the start.

As controversial as it was to cut the Flames’ first-round pick from the team, the debate surrounding his exclusion got much louder when Canada finished fifth for the second year in a row.

He saw the fury unfold online, likely fueling his frustration over a chapter in his life that actually spurred him on to a phenomenal second half.

Ironically, one of the first pieces of advice Seabrook had for the young star was to avoid social media.

Either way, Parekh will get a second chance to fulfill his world junior dreams in Minnesota starting Boxing Day.   

“Probably jumpstart my season,” said Parekh this week, following several weeks of skating with Seabrook as he recovered from an upper body injury.

“I mean, obviously, it hasn’t been the season I want. Production-wise, it hasn’t been there. So, I think it’ll be good to just go, build some confidence, play my game and just kind of have fun. I mean, I’m going to get a lot of leash there, and be able to make plays and kind of do my thing.”

Because the current CBA prohibits him from playing in the AHL where he belongs, Parekh has been stuck in developmental purgatory: too talented to return to junior, and in over his head against the NHL’s best. 

The obvious decision to loan him to Team Canada revolves around the notion that a successful showing at the pressure-packed tourney against his peers will help him find the swagger and confidence that was his trademark as a two-time 30-goal scorer in Saginaw.

“That won’t be missing, that’s for sure,” smiled Parekh, who had just one assist while popping in and out of the Flames lineup for a total of 11 games.

“Every year I’ve started slow, but that kind of gives me a little bit of belief because I know around this time is when I start to pick it up and find things again.”

Designing camp this year to be more of a preparation than a tryout, Hockey Canada will only cut one forward and one defenceman. Given how beneficial this loan is for all parties involved, it’s hard to fathom he could be cut again.   

“It’s a tournament I watched growing up every Christmas time, so being able to represent Canada, and finally get my chance in that tournament, it’ll be fun,” said Parekh.

“I know there’s a lot of good players that are obviously going to be there, and we should have a good chance for gold.”

More from Sportsnet

Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes will ‘do anything to win’ at world juniors

Flames Mailbag: Is it time to go all-in on McKenna sweepstakes?