The Calgary Flames’ season has started in rough shape, but Aydar Suniev has given them one bright spot they can point to without squinting. Through three games, the 21-year-old rookie has produced two goals and three points, putting him at a point-per-game pace on a team that has badly struggled to score.
That’s no small thing for a Flames group sitting at 1-5-0 after finally getting its first win last night. Calgary remains near the bottom of the standings, is third last in goals for, and nobody on the roster has more than four points or two goals. In that kind of scoring drought, Suniev’s start stands out even more.
It helps that this is exactly the role he was brought in to fill. After Calgary surprised plenty of people by placing Connor Zary on waivers, Suniev was recalled from the Calgary Wranglers with the hope that his strong preseason would carry over and give the lineup a jolt. He opened in the fourth line role, but over the last two games he’s been elevated to the first line with Matt Coronato and Morgan Frost.
So far, he’s looked comfortable there. Suniev is riding a two-game goal streak and added an assist in last night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. His two goals are tied for first on the Flames, and his three points are tied for second.
Nobody is projecting 80 points here, and that’s not the point. For a rookie, 35-40 points would be a strong return, and Suniev has already shown enough to make that feel plausible. The chemistry with Coronato and Frost has been real, and the offensive toolkit is obvious.
His shot jumps off the page first. He can beat goalies in a variety of ways, whether it’s a heavy wrist shot or a one-timer that comes off the blade with real force.
He’s not just a shooter, though. Suniev can make plays for others, and he has a pretty good set of hands to go with it.
The biggest question has always been the skating. Even that part looks better now than it did in 2023. The offensive gifts were enough to make him an intriguing draft pick in the first place, and if this early stretch is any indication, he’s starting to look like a legitimate top-six option for the Flames.
In Other News...
Flames Finally Got The Response Fans Needed After That Start
After a season-opening skid that had Calgary looking for any kind of traction, the Flames found a response in Anaheim. They built an early lead, lost it when penalties opened the door for the Ducks, then settled back in and played with more purpose over the second and third periods. The result was a 4-2 road win that at least gave the club something to point to beyond the frustration of its first few outings.
Aydar Suniev helped turn the night around with the tying goal and a key setup on the go-ahead score, while Martin Pospisil added the late game-winner after beating the Ducks off the rush. Dustin Wolf also had to be sharp when the game was still hanging in the balance, and the Flames eventually closed it out with Yegor Sharangovich sealing it into an empty net. The penalty issues still stood out, but for one night Calgary looked more like a team willing to push through the mistakes instead of being buried by them. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Trade Buzz Is Growing But One Frustrating Reality Remains
Early-season trade chatter is starting to pick up around the league, and the Calgary Flames have a name in the middle of it. Connor Zary has drawn attention from Vancouver, part of a broader stretch of roster movement and lineup uncertainty across the NHL as teams try to sort out needs before the market settles. For Calgary, it adds another layer to a season already being watched closely, since interest in a young forward can say as much about outside perception as it does about the player himself.
Zarys situation is especially notable because the Flames are not dealing with this in isolation. While other clubs are juggling injuries, extensions and possible trade targets, Calgary has a developing player who appears to be on the radar of another Pacific Division team. The question now is whether that interest becomes anything more concrete, or whether it remains another example of a player attracting attention without any easy answer for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Face A Tough Blue Line Call As Trade Buzz Builds
The Flames are still sorting through the ripple effects of an active market, and the blue line is right in the middle of it. Simon Edvinsson has come back to North America to train while working toward a deal with Detroit before the Dec. 1 deadline to make this season count, leaving one more notable name in the defensive conversation and keeping attention on how much movement could still be ahead around Calgary.
Zach Whitecloud has also been part of the chatter, with Toronto taking a look at the veteran defender as it gauges its options. For Calgary, he arrived in the Rasmus Andersson trade and has brought the profile of a Stanley Cup winner, but the early returns have been quiet so far, and that only adds another layer to a blue line picture that already feels unsettled as the deadline buzz starts to build. [Read more 🡒]