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The Flames Need a Spark. Could Suniev and Brzustewicz Provide It?
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- The Flames Need a Spark. Could Suniev and Brzustewicz Provide It?
The Calgary Flames have already made some significant roster moves early in the 2026-27 season, and those changes could open the door for a couple of young players waiting in the AHL.
One name in particular stands out.
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Could Aydar Suniev be in line for an NHL recall sooner rather than later?
If I were a betting man, I'd say there's a pretty good chance.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Suniev leading the Flames in preseason goals and still being assigned to the Calgary Wranglers out of camp was certainly a head-scratcher, especially for a team that entered the regular season needing to find more offence.
The decision made sense from a development standpoint. Suniev is still just beginning his second professional season, and there are parts of his game that need work before he becomes a full-time NHL player. His defensive game and play without the puck were areas he identified himself.
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"I think playing without the puck and getting the puck back… that's one of the areas I wanted to focus on," Suniev told the media after his final preseason appearance when asked what he was focusing on and what the team had asked him to work on.
That development doesn't suddenly disappear because the Flames are struggling. But neither does the need for offence.
Calgary has opened the season 0-3, with just three goals scored and a minus-13 goal differential. At some point, the Flames are going to have to look at what they have available internally and determine whether somebody can provide a spark.
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Suniev has already shown that he can produce. He scored three goals in two preseason games and also found the back of the net during the rookie NextGen game. He had additional chances that could have easily resulted in more goals if not for the post getting in the way.
Nobody should expect a 21-year-old forward to suddenly fix the Flames, but if the offence continues to struggle, it becomes increasingly difficult to ignore a player who has already demonstrated an ability to put the puck in the net.
And the Flames have now created an opening.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The club placed former first-round pick Connor Zary on waivers Monday following a difficult start to the season. Defenceman Brayden Pachal was also placed on waivers, potentially creating another opening on the roster.
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That doesn't mean Suniev is automatically the answer. It does, however, make the possibility of a recall much more interesting.
If Calgary decides it wants to inject some offence and energy into the lineup, Suniev would be one of the more obvious internal candidates.
The same could potentially be said for defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz.
With Pachal now on waivers, there is an opportunity for another young defenceman to potentially rejoin the NHL group.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz became somewhat of an odd-man out after Calgary added veteran Jake Middleton and former second-overall pick Simon Nemec during the offseason. That wasn't necessarily surprising, but it did leave the 21-year-old back in the AHL after he had already seen NHL action last season.
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Brzustewicz appeared in 34 games for Calgary last season, recording two goals and seven points while finishing with an even plus-minus.
There were things he needed to improve, particularly with his speed, decision-making and timing, but there was also enough there to suggest he could eventually become an important part of the Flames' blueline.
But there's another part of his game that shouldn't be overlooked.
Offence.
Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Brzustewicz produced 92 points, including 13 goals and 79 assists, in his final junior season with the Kitchener Rangers. He followed that up with 32 points in 70 games during his first full professional season with the Wranglers in 2024-25.
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We haven't seen that offensive ability translate consistently at the NHL level yet. But that's exactly why opportunity matters.
Would putting another young defenceman into a struggling Flames lineup be ideal?
Probably not.
But Brzustewicz has already experienced NHL hockey in Calgary. He knows what the environment looks like, and he handled himself reasonably well despite the chaos surrounding the team last season.
He could potentially provide Calgary with a mobile option on the back end while also giving the Flames another player capable of helping move the puck and contribute offensively.
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None of this means Suniev or Brzustewicz is the answer to what is happening in Calgary.
Two young players aren't going to suddenly turn a struggling team into a contender.
But that's not really the point.
The Flames need to find something different. They need energy. They need offence. They need players who are hungry for an opportunity. Suniev and Brzustewicz potentially fit that description.
Whether either player gets the call remains to be seen. But with the Flames already making changes to the roster, it wouldn't be surprising if the conversation inside the organization eventually turns toward the players who are waiting in the wings.
