<p>In a year with so many high-quality defensive prospects to choose from, it isn’t easy to stand out.</p>



<p>But Zayne Parekh has done so much to impress scouts early on – so much that one scout told Daily Faceoff they believe he’s a top-five quality player. It feels a bit bold, but he’s a big reason why Saginaw is one of the top teams in the OHL and a big threat to win the Memorial Cup – an event they’re hosting next spring.</p>



<p>The 17-year-old right-handed defender from Nobleton, Ontario, is the 12th-ranked prospect in Daily Faceoff’s most recent rankings. His offensive game is something to marvel at, with a current full-season pace of 25 goals and 82 points. He’s a tremendous two-way defender with incredible creativity, with some scouts comparing his play with the puck to the likes of Cale Makar. There isn’t a more dynamic defenseman in this class.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="151"></div>



<p>The guaranteed elongated playoff experience thanks to the Memorial Cup will allow Parekh to have every opportunity to shine. I wouldn’t be surprised if Canada brought him to world junior training camp in Oakville next month, either. After spending the last year learning under Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov, you can see some of the same traits displayed by Parekh each night. </p>



<p>And scouts are noticing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ohl"><strong>OHL</strong></h2>



<p>– <strong>Carter George </strong>had an excellent weekend with Owen Sound last week, starting games on consecutive days. He had 57 saves on 59 shots to go along with a .966 save percentage to earn OHL goaltender of the week honors. It was well deserved for a keeper with the potential to go in the first two rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, especially with very few quality goaltending options available. It was a big weekend for George after losing five straight games, so you have to look past his season-long stats on a team with some defensive concerns. Watching him in isolated situations, George can have some off games, but he’s capable of fighting off bad goals and bouncing back, too.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="188"></div>



<p>– Jakub Fibigr was a focus in this column a few weeks ago, and now it’s his defensive partner’s time to shine. <strong>Parker Von Richter</strong> isn’t incredible offensively by any means, but he has penchant for keeping plays simple and smart. The ability to step up, rush the puck and create a scoring chance is there often, too, but that’s more Fibigr’s game. Von Rochter has decent size at 6-foot-1 and he knows when to land a big hit, too. The biggest thing for PVR? He’s reliable in his own zone. Very rarely, he’s costing the Steelheads with a misguided pass, and that’s important.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-qmjhl"><strong>QMJHL</strong></h2>



<p>– I love wacky stat lines, and <strong>Justin Poirier</strong> takes the cake. Ranked 39th on Daily Faceoff’s last draft rankings, Poirier has 22 goals and 30 points in 25 games. Four of his eight assists came over a four-day span last weekend. He’s usually good for at least four shots a game, and the numbers show it’s working. His older brother is Jeremie Poirier, one of the Calgary Flames’ top defensive prospects. He knows a thing or two about shooting the puck, having put up 20 goals as a second-year QMJHLer back in 2019-20.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="198"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whl"><strong>WHL</strong></h2>



<p>– <strong>Julius Miettinen</strong> has entered first-round territory in his first season in North America. He had a quiet showing with Finland’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup team, but he’s coming off a three-assist effort last Sunday for the best game of his major junior career. At 6-foot-3 and more than 200 pounds, Miettinen has a game built on power and speed, making him an intriguing case for teams looking for a winger with a power forward makeup. I’ll keep a close eye on him in the coming weeks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ncaa"><strong>NCAA</strong></h2>



<p>– <strong>Zeev Buium</strong> is projected to go in the first round, with his offensive play being a big reason why. The 5-foot-11 defender has 13 points in 12 games, including four points in two games against Nebraska-Omaha last weekend. He’s riding a six-game point streak while still quarterbacking the team’s power play. Buium can dazzle with the puck, but still needs to clean up his breakouts. Right now, he’s looking like a lock for the first round, though.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="164"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ushl"><strong>USHL</strong></h2>



<p>– Recently signing his letter of intent to join Boston University, <strong>Kamil Bednarik</strong> is a skilled two-way center who does quite a bit off the scoresheet. A B-ranked player in the NHL Central Scoutings initial list, Bednarik didn’t get enough credit for his play at the U-18 Five Nations tournament earlier this month. He had just three points, but he was always moving, helping out his defenders and landing hits to help gain possession. I don’t expect him to put up a ton of points in the NHL, but he’s the type of hard-working forward you plop on the third line and can rely on to generate some secondary scoring and give a full effort every shift.</p>



<p>– Some teams are eyeing <strong>Austin Burnevik </strong>as a potential second-year pickup. The 6-foot-4, 201-pound winger had four goals and six points in two games last weekend to earn the USHL’s forward of the week honors. He enters this weekend with 18 points in 17 games,  often using his frame to outmuscle defenders and generate scoring chances. </p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="176"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-russia"><strong>Russia</strong></h2>



<p>– I’ve said it many times before, but it’s so difficult for young players to get adequate ice time in European pro. Ask Matvei Michkov about that last year before he went to Sochi. The same goes for <strong>Igor Chernyshov</strong>, who, in 11 KHL outings this year, has played fewer than two minutes in a game six times. He has yet to register a point and has only two shots on net, but scouts have still liked what they’ve seen from him this year. He has 10 points in 12 MHL games, but his competitive energy and smooth skating make him fun to watch. Chernyshov is a 6-foot-2 forward who can play with physicality, but it’s the way he’s constantly forcing opponents to make quick, potentially undesirable decisions that makes him compelling.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="132"></div>



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