Calgary Flames Prospect Update: Suniev is a Sunny Spot for the Wranglers

With NHL games back, the Flames secured the only win in the organization against the San Jose Sharks on the 26th, as both the Wranglers and Rush continue to look to turn around their seasons. European clubs are also starting to wrap up their regular seasons, so expect the in-game intensity increase.

Let’s take a look at everything Calgary Flames from the past week.

Welcome to the TWC Calgary Flames prospect update. We have defined a prospect as a skater who has played fewer than 65 NHL games and was born in 2001 or later.

Aydar Suniev, Forward, Calgary Wranglers, AHL

Some Sun-ny Context

Suniev was initially drafted out of the BCHL’s Penticton Vees with the 80th overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft, after a 45-goal and 45-assist season. The 2004-born forward then made the immediate jump to the NCAA with UMass, where he spent the next two seasons accumulating 63 points across 71 games.

Suniev then decided to leave the NCAA early after the conclusion of his sophomore season in 2024–2025, to sign his entry-level deal with the Flames, where he played a single NHL game that same season.

Entering the 2025–2026 campaign, the Russian was assigned to the Wranglers, where he’s spent the entire season as a rookie in the AHL.

What Type of Game Does Suniev Play?

Suniev is a pure offensive menace and plays a largely playmaker/sniper game with plenty of offensive upside. High-end puck skills, good offensive senses, and dangerous shooting define the forward’s game.

The main drawbacks and barriers that Suniev faces are lower-end skating mechanics/speed, a lax compete level, and issues with defensive effort/awareness. Aspects of physicality are also completely absent from his game.

Suniev’s Season so Far

In the 2004-born forward’s rookie season, he has largely served as a secondary scorer for the Wranglers. For the 2025–2026 campaign, he averages 14:23 of TOI, including 1:53 on the power play. Suniev is a play connector and chance generator in the AHL, which explains his 1.3 chances and 17 passes per game.

First, the standout element of his game is his puck skills; everything from his handling, short passing, and control mechanics is evident, and he rarely needlessly gives the puck away. His handling itself is built on deception, as he can regularly manipulate lanes, players, and protect with ease.

In addition, his solid pass placement, receptions, and control at high pace all complement his puck protection, which explains his five-zone entries per game. Suniev’s passing is a star of the show too, with a smart, quick give-and-go game that shows fast option ID and good vision, as evidenced by a staggering 94% accuracy on 17 passes per game.

In short, Suniev always moves plays forward, be it as a play connector in transition, or a play facilitator in the offensive zone.

Offensive skills

Suniev’s offensive senses further reinforce these puck skills, as the 6’02 forward has solid offensive play processing, offensive awareness, and instincts that make him a danger in any offensive play.

His processing and anticipation allow him to average one pass to the slot per game, and a 64% success rate in puck battles.

Moreover, he starts a majority of all shifts in the offensive zone. His play processing and awareness allow him to consistently jump up in plays, take a supporting role, or create space and better positioning for himself, from which he can cause havoc or uncertainty for the opponent’s defensive core and structure.

In fact, it is in established offensive-zone situations that Suniev is the most dangerous, as his shooting is already NHL level. For example, his shooting mechanics demonstrate a lightning-fast release, good deception in his shot placement, and powerful leverage; he can be a clutch finisher.

Suniev’s 13 goals highlight his shooting mechanics, despite his limited top-9 and secondary power-play usage by Sutter.

Though the Flames draftee averages 2.7 shots per game, he has a lowly 55% shot accuracy. All things considered, Suniev still has a 0.17 goals expected and a 13% conversion rate on his scoring chances, so he is making the most of his opportunities.

Now, the areas of improvement.

Suniev is a complete non-factor on the defensive side of the puck as the 2023 3rd-rounder feigns ineffective pressure on the forecheck and is entirely passive in the defensive zone, despite an active stick. The 2023 draftee shows a low scan rate, defensive play engagement, and no risk-mitigation efforts.

The issues with these defensive habits are further supported by Suniev’s -23 rating on the 2025–2026 campaign so far.

His compete level is noticeably below average as his game is quite low-paced, intensity wanes between defensive and offensive efforts, and he generally has a low motor. This motor is shown even on the offensive side since Suniev selectively engages in battles (typically only if he gets dragged in).

This compete level is worrisome as it will need to improve if he has a chance of making it to the NHL.

What further compounds his issues is his skating, as he no longer plays in the BCHL, where he could easily manipulate defenders despite lacking crossover integration, acceleration, and top speed. However, Suniev still tries these Junior habits at the AHL level, which leads to turnovers and problematic route creation.

He has deception with the puck, but he lacks the speed to be a deception-based creator on the rush, and more experienced defenders close his gaps without warning, which really reduces the transitional and rush elements of his game.

Overall, the Flames have an offensive-minded scorer and facilitator who is deadly with the puck, and despite limitations in compete level, skating, and defensively, should continue to improve as he ages up.

Growth in Suniev’s muscle mass should further his physicality and skating power, but improvements to his effort level and compete level on the ice are not as straightforward.

Where Does Suniev Fit in with the Flames Organization?

Suniev likely could compete for a spot with the Flames in the next couple of years, especially if his skating improves. Expect the 2004-born forward to play in the AHL for another season or two to refine his three-zone game.

The Russian projects as a possible top-9 scoring forward at the NHL level, but this hinges on improvements to his skating and compete level.