Can Hunter Brzustewicz crack the Calgary Flames' roster?

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeSportsHockeyNHLCalgary Flames Can Hunter Brzustewicz crack the Calgary Flames' roster? Flames coach Ryan Huska was full of praise for Brzustewicz, while emphasizing the need for him to go out and prove himself in game situations Author of the article: By Daniel Austin Published Sep 20, 2026 3 minute read Join the conversation Calgary Flames defencemen Hunter Brzustewicz passes the puck in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Brent Calver/Postmedia Article content At first glance, Hunter Brzustewicz seems like he’s on the outside looking in at the Calgary Flames’ NHL roster. Article content There are eight blueliners skating in the group that practices first at training camp, and the 21-year-old is not one of them. Article content Article content That doesn’t mean he isn’t in the mix, though, as head coach Ryan Huska made clear on Sunday morning. Article content “Same messaging that we told the guys in the first group: most guys are going to get two games to play and that’s your opportunity to show what you’ve got and how you can help our team move forward and be successful,” Huska said. “It’s no different. Article content Article content “We had that conversation with Bru on the ice during his first skate. If you could put nine defencemen in a group, I would, but it doesn’t make sense practice-wise.” Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content Last season, Brzustewicz broke through and played in 34 NHL games, scoring twice and adding five assists. Article content He’ll almost certainly get opportunities this season, but the challenge is that the acquisition of Simon Nemec means the Flames are loaded with right-shot defencemen. There’s Nemec, Zayne Parekh and Zach Whitecloud, all of whom will surely be on the opening night roster, and Brayden Pachal will be competing for playing time, as well. Article content That makes it an uphill battle for Brzustewicz to earn an NHL job, but that’s his clear intent. Article content “Hopefully make the team, that’s the goal, to play in the NHL every single day and make myself an…