With the preseason in full swing, Hunter Brzustewicz is one player making a strong case for himself. The 19-year-old defenceman was acquired by the Calgary Flames in the Elias Lindholm deal, and has since impressed many people within the Flames organization.
Finishing second among OHL defencemen in scoring this season, Bruzustewicz has begun to make a name for himself as a top defensive prospect in Calgary’s system. He had a strong outing for Calgary during the Young Stars Classic in Penticton and looked just as good during the Flames’ 6–1 victory against the Seattle Kraken. He is also expected to go pro this season, where he’ll be playing in the AHL, which adds to the excitement for his development. The Flames are very high on this player, with fans just as eager to see his progression.
Brzustewicz’s play is turning heads around the league
The Flames’ defensive pipeline has gained league-wide attention from various media sources. Elliotte Friedman on the most recent 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, specifically mentioned Bruzustewicz and gave him high praise:
“A buddy of mine said to me you better learn how to spell Brzustewicz cause this guy is going to be a player”
He’s not the only one to praise Bruzustewicz this way. A few months ago, Jeff Marek, formerly of Sportsnet, described him as “the Adam Fox of the OHL.” Additionally, Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska said his skillset reminded him of a “young Rasmus Andersson.” The point is that Bruzustewicz projects to be a top-four defenceman who possesses elite offensive abilities.
With Brzustewicz going pro this season, he’ll have a bigger platform to showcase his talent and a good chance of receiving even more recognition. He will be an intriguing player to track and very well could get NHL games this season. With how thin the Flames’ blueline is, jobs can be taken. It wouldn’t shock me to see Bruzustewicz getting some NHL call-ups, especially if he carries over his strong play from the OHL to the pros. On the flipside, a learning curve will be expected, as the transition from juniors will always be a bit of a challenge.
Flames have a bright future on the blueline
As mentioned, Brzustewicz is just one example of the many skilled defencemen in Calgary’s prospect pool. Fellow OHLers Zayne Parekh and Henry Mews showcased their elite offensive skill through great junior seasons this year. There are also players like Jeremie Poirier and Etienne Morin, who receive high praise for their skill sets on offence. On the defensive side, Artem Grushnikov has been another standout for the Flames so far, as his physical presence and defensive mind have been something to admire.
As the Flames continue their rebuild, fans are certainly not worried about the future of the team’s blue-line. Calgary has one of the best prospect pipelines in the league for offensive defencemen, with many players projecting to be NHLers. Time will tell, but excitement is building up for what the Flames’ defensive core will look like in three to five years.
