Training camp has officially begun. It’s that time of year when young players look to make an impression in hopes of securing a job in the big leagues. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, like the Calgary Flames, it’ll only motivate younger players more. They’ll be getting longer looks and more chances to make a name for themselves.
It’s only been the start of training camp, but already there have been questions surrounding certain players. One of those players is Hunter Brzustewicz. Based on the Flames’ roster groups to start camp, Brzustewicz finds himself excluded from the NHL group. He is instead slotted with defencemen who will likely be in the minors to start the season. It’s an interesting but also concerning development for Brzustewicz. Over the summer, the Flames acquired 22-year-old defenceman Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils. Could Nemec’s acquisition bring Brzustewicz’s future into question?
Brzustewicz seems to be the odd man out
At the start of the Flames’ training camp, the team split players into two rosters: Team Red and Team Black. Team Red looks to contain most of the NHL squad, and that roster will likely look very similar to what the team the Flames have on opening night. On the other hand, you have Team Black. They are mostly minor-league and younger players who you’d expect to be trying to earn jobs for themselves. Not many names stand out on Team Black, except for Hunter Brzustewicz.
It’s quite unfortunate for Brzustewicz, as he got quite the NHL look last season. In 34 games, Brzustewicz scored two goals and seven points. Not too shabby for a 21-year-old defenceman trying to find his way into an NHL lineup.
Of course, training camp is far from over. But if the Flames aren’t too impressed with Brzustewicz’s performance, he could very well be starting the season in the AHL. It would be a bit of a setback, considering that the Flames really have nothing to lose by playing their young players.
How Simon Nemec fits into all this
The acquisition of Nemec was an unexpected but intriguing move by the Flames. The former second-overall pick will no doubt get a larger role in Calgary and will be looked upon as a top defenceman playing big minutes for the team. However, following the acquisition of players like Nemec, questions arise regarding the roles of players like Brzustewicz.
To put it bluntly, the team won’t have enough room for three right-shot, offensively minded defencemen in Nemec, Brzustewicz and, of course, Zayne Parekh. At least one of these players won’t get as big a role or opportunity as they should, and that player looks like Brzustewicz right now.
You also have to consider that Brzustewicz will be competing with other players such as Zach Whitecloud and Bryden Pachal. In short, the right side for the Flames right now looks quite crowded, and clearly the team sees Brzustewicz as someone who needs a bit more minor league action, but is that what the player wants?
Could Brzustewicz’s future be in question?
Obviously, this seems like a bit of an overreaction to make right now, as we don’t know what could happen during training camp. However, given the number of right-shot defencemen the Flames have, there are going to be some players who will have to sit on the sidelines.
Regarding Brzustewicz specifically, he would benefit from more NHL action. As mentioned previously, the team has nothing to lose by letting more young players crack the lineup. Sadly, that’s not how things work, though, as players who want an NHL job will have to earn one. This situation is the type that will become clearer as the season goes on, but if Brzustewicz doesn’t see much NHL action, could we see the Flames move on from him? It’s way too early to say, and obviously, things could change, especially if the Flames’ other right-shot defenceman shows strong performances.
