Welcome back at The win -column Calgary Flames Prospect Rankings. Next is defender Hunter Brzustewicz. The 20-year-old comes from a solid season with the Ahl Calgary Wranglers. He made his NHL debut against the Los Angeles Kings in the Last regular season match From the Calgary Flames.
Brzustewicz was originally prepared by the Vancouver Canucks. The flames acquired him in the Elias Lindholm trade. Since then he has been a top perspective within the organization. He was arranged as the fourth best prospect in 2024, but rose to third place after last season.
| Position | Year | High -ranking | Lowest rank | 2024 Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 2023 (Vancouver) | 3rd | 4th | 4th |
The development of Brzustewicz so far
| Season | Team | Competition | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 68 | 6 | 51 | 57 |
| 2023–24 | Kitchener Rangers | OHL | 67 | 13 | 79 | 92 |
| 2024–25 | Calgary Wranglers | Ahl | 70 | 5 | 27 | 32 |
The flames have a considerable amount of right -handed defenders in their prospect pool. Brzustewicz joins the Zayne Parekh group and Henry Mews for the potential right side of the future. The 20-year-old defender has taken fantastic steps forward in his development.
Brzustewicz started to pull the eyes of many hockey fans while playing in the OHL. He played two seasons with the Kitchener Rangers, where he achieved an impressive 149 points in 135 games. The young defender started the Wranglers in the AHL last season. This was a big step for him, because he would play against many older players. He adapted nicely to the faster playing style and settled as a reliable defender on the blue line of the Wranglers.
Brzustewicz’s strengths and weaknesses
Just like any other young hockey player, Brzustewicz has some strengths and weaknesses in his game. Let’s take a dip in what he has to offer.
Strong points
Puck moving
One of the most important strengths for Brzustewicz is his ability to move the puck quickly and to break out of the defensive zone. This is extremely important for a defender, because the offensive game often starts. Clean zone breakouts are the key to success in the NHL.
The turnover of the defensive zone is what a team can cost a game in an instant. Brzustewicz is doing reasonably well to avoid this, especially if you consider his age. He often moves the puck quickly out of the zone or makes a fast move to avoid forechackers. From here he joins the hurry and finds excellent shooting opportunities.
Passing
Brzustewicz has a gift to be a great passer -by. This is displayed when he breaks the puck from the defensive zone and performs the Power Play. His death enables him to set up players for TAP-in goals and to find teammates on the hurry.
Passing is not a skill with which players are born. It is something that requires daily work to improve. The death of Brzustewicz is what gives him all those points. Without this skill, he would not be a prospect for a long time.
Pucks on Net
An important skill for an attacking defender is to have the opportunity to get pucks on the net. Brzustewicz achieves this through outmaneuvering forward to make a shot strip. This was seen several times during his days in the OHL with the Rangers. He has been a Power Play Quarterback for the Rangers and now the Wranglers. Pucks passed through the point is an important factor in how he generates offense.
Weaknesses
Speed
It is a bit difficult to find a clear weakness in the game of Brzustewicz. He is such a great player around and continues to improve as every year continues. However, a potential weakness to emphasize in his game is his speed. Brzustewicz does not use speed to his advantage. He has good agility on his skates, but the overall power behind his pass can be improved. Speed is a huge factor in today’s NHL game, and without speed it is difficult to linger.
The 20-year-old defender is still quite young and has enough time to become stronger. To make Brzustewicz to make that next step to the NHL, he will have to become faster and stronger.
Brzustewicz’s next steps
Brzustewicz will probably be with the Wranglers again next season. Another season in the AHL would give him a little more time to develop and get his game to an NHL-ready level. There is a possibility that he will get some time with the Flames next season. If injuries eliminate some current Flames defenders, Brzustewicz could be the first to be called up. Anyway, hopefully we will soon see the 20-year-old in an NHL role.
The potential for Brzustewicz is to become a second -line defender. It is completely logical for the future of the flames. Parekh becomes the future number one defender, while Brzustewicz will support him. These two defenders can be the top two right -handed defenders for the next decade of flames hockey. The future seems bright for the young core in Calgary.
Do you think Brzustewicz could make the NHL schedule next season?
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