Parekh has played 10 games this season for the Flames, burning the first year of his entry-level contract, ensuring he will spend the season in the NHL, but remains in a position where he is being used sparingly. The 19-year-old Parekh has not had the opportunity to fully showcase his talents in his first NHL season, scoring only one point (0G / 1A) through 10 games in a sheltered role.
The Calgary Flames remain at the bottom of the NHL standings with only 10 points through 15 games (4-9-2), but have shown improvement lately and are riding a two-game winning streak. The team's uptick in play relates directly to Dustin Wolf, who has been spectacular during their winning streak, saving 59 of 61 combined shots in those two games. The 24-year-old hopes to continue improving his totals after a poor start to the season, posting a 3.19 GAA and .895 SV% in 13 games (4-8-1). The Flames enter Friday's contest as -153 home favorites against a Chicago Blackhawks team that has lost three of its last four (1-3-0).
Zayne Parekh and Jake Bean will be healthy scratches on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, allowing Brayden Pachal and Yan Kuznetsov to draw into Calgary's lineup. Kuznetsov was drafted 50th-overall by the Flames in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut in 2023-24, playing one game with the Flames, but has otherwise exclusively been in the AHL for the previous four seasons.
Parekh just played his 10th game of the season for the Flames, burning the first year of his entry-level contract, and ensuring he will spend the season in the NHL. That said, he returns to a familiar spot on Wednesday as a healthy scratch, joining Jake Bean on the sidelines, as Brayden Pachal and Yan Kutznetsov will draw into the Flames' lineup. The 19-year-old Parekh has not had the opportunity to fully showcase his talents in his first NHL season, scoring only one point (0G / 1A) through 10 games in a sheltered role.
Jake Bean joins Zayne Parekh as healthy scratches from Calgary's blueline for Wednesday's contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, allowing Brayden Pachal and Yan Kuznetsov to enter the lineup. The 27-year-old Bean has played 10 games this season, recording 18 blocks and on assist.
Zayne Parekh and Jake Bean will be healthy scratches on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, allowing Brayden Pachal and Yan Kuznetsov to draw into Calgary's lineup. The 26-year-old Pachal is averaging 12:40 time-on-ice, recording 14 hits and one assist in seven games this season.
The Flames sit at the bottom of the NHL with a 3-9-2 record, but are coming off a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers where Wolf saved 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%), and will try to string together consecutive wins for the first time this season. The 24-year-old Wolf, last season's runner-up for the Calder Trophy, has a troubling 3.39 GAA and .884 SV% in 12 games this season (3-8-1). The Flames enter Wednesday's contest as slight -115 home favorites against a Columbus Blue Jackets team off to a solid 7-5-0 start this season.
Kuznetsov was drafted 50th-overall by the Flames in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut in 2023-24, playing one game with the Flames, but has otherwise exclusively been in the AHL for the previous four seasons.
Zayne Parekh (undisclosed) will not play on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, allowing Pachal to re-enter the lineup. The 26-year-old Pachal played a career-high 76 games with the Flames last season, but has been used sparingly in 2025-26, playing in only four of the team's 11 contests.
Connor Zary will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, allowing Klapka to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Klapka, a bruting 6-8, 235lb forward, has 34 hits, 25 penalty minutes, and three points (1G / 2A) in 10 games this season.
Adam Klapka will draw back into Calgary's lineup on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, sending Zary to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. Zary had an impressive 2024-25 season, scoring 27 points (13G / 14A) in 54 games, but has not been able to discover his scoring touch early in 2025-26, limited to only two points (1G / 1A) in 11 games.
Flames' head coach Ryan Huska indicated that Parekh is a little "banged up" and will not play on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The 19-year-old first-year defenseman is averaging 15:53 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) in nine games this season.
The Flames have heavily entrusted their crease to Dustin Wolf this season, starting 10 of 11 games, but he will get a rare night off on Thursday when the team turns to Cooley for only the second time. The 28-year-old Cooley was excellent in his only start of the season, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%), but, as has been the case most of the season, the Flames did not receive ample goal support and fell 3-1 to the Utah Mammoth. The Flames enter Thursday's contest as +145 road underdogs against a Senators team scoring 3.7 goals per game.
