Training camp has barely gotten going, and Hunter Brzustewicz is already sitting in a tricky spot.
The Calgary Flames have split their camp roster into Team Red and Team Black, with Team Red looking like the group that will most closely resemble the opening-night NHL roster. Team Black, by contrast, is mostly made up of younger players and minor-league types trying to force their way into the picture. Brzustewicz is one of the few names on that side who really jumps out, and that alone makes his situation worth watching.
Last season, Brzustewicz got a real NHL opportunity and made the most of it in a limited sample. In 34 games, the 21-year-old defenceman scored two goals and seven points. That’s a solid showing for a young blueliner trying to carve out a permanent role.
But the camp setup suggests the Flames may see him differently right now. If he doesn’t impress enough to climb back into the NHL group, he could start the season in the AHL. For a rebuilding team that has every reason to give young players a long look, that would be a noticeable step back.
The bigger wrinkle came over the summer, when Calgary acquired 22-year-old defenceman Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils. The move was unexpected, but it immediately changed the conversation on the blue line. Nemec is expected to handle a major role and play big minutes, and his arrival only adds pressure to the players already fighting for space.
That’s where Brzustewicz’s outlook gets complicated. Calgary now has a crowded right side, and the team won’t have room for three right-shot, offensively minded defencemen in Nemec, Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh. Somebody is going to lose out on opportunity, and at the moment Brzustewicz looks like the odd man out.
He’s not alone in that battle, either. Zach Whitecloud and Bryden Pachal are also in the mix, which only makes the right side tighter. From the outside, it looks like the Flames view Brzustewicz as a player who may need more time in the minors before getting another sustained NHL run.
That doesn’t mean his future is suddenly settled. Training camp is still early, and things can change fast. But the path is clearer than it was before Nemec arrived: Brzustewicz needs to make a strong push, because the competition for those right-side minutes is only getting tougher.
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