Flames Mailbag: What to expect from Hunter Brzustewicz?

The Calgary Flames were the team to watch leading up to the 2024 trade deadline, and they didn’t disappoint.

General manager Craig Conroy made all the decisions he had to make. Those included trading away Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin in the weeks leading up to the March 8^th deadline. Finally, all the potential franchise-shaking dilemmas, which date back to the summer, are off Conroy’s plate.

“It was mentally draining if I have to be honest,” Conroy admitted when he joined Flames Talk on Sportsnet 960 on deadline day. “This is months and months of stuff behind the scenes. I’m very happy it’s over.”

With the deadline behind us, let’s dive in on our latest Flames Mailbag and get started with an exciting piece of news from earlier this week.

TJ is referring to Hunter Brzustewicz, who was one of the key pieces coming back in January’s Lindholm swap with Vancouver. The Kitchener Rangers defenceman, a 2023 third-round pick of the Canucks, signed a three-year entry-level deal with Calgary on Thursday.

While a straightforward signing on the surface, getting Brzustewicz under contract is actually a significant piece of work for Conroy and the Flames. Prior to the trade, there was legitimate concern Brzustewicz was leaning towards not signing in Vancouver.

Couple that with the American-born players who have opted not to sign with the Flames in recent years, well, you can understand a little apprehension in this market. In reality, though, Brzustewicz’s decision was never really in doubt.

From my understanding, Brzustewicz indicated he was eager to sign with Calgary almost immediately after being acquired on January 31^st. But under league rules, a contract for the coming season can’t be registered until March 1^st. With a few pressing things to figure out, the Flames got through the trade deadline first before putting the finishing touches on Brzustewicz’s first NHL contract.

It all comes down to opportunity for Brzustewicz, who’s having a breakout season in Kitchener. There likely wasn’t an immediate path to NHL playing time on a deep Canucks blueline. It’s a different story in Calgary, especially with Hanifin, Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov all being moved over the last four months.

“I see a lot of potential,” Brzustewicz told Flames Talk on Thursday when asked about the chance to fight for NHL playing time as early as next season.

“I can’t wait to get out there and compete my butt off. I see a lot of potential getting in there…AHL or NHL, whatever it is. I see more potential (in Calgary) than I did in Vancouver so it’s great. I can’t wait to see myself in a Flames jersey one day.”

Brzustewicz instantly became one of Calgary’s top prospects upon acquisition. With 85 points in 62 games, Brzustewicz is one of the OHL’s leading scorers this season. His 73 assists lead the league, regardless of position.

But is he ready to push for NHL playing time starting at training camp in September?

“I feel really ready,” Brzustewicz said. “I just feel really confident in myself, and it can only go up from here.”

We’ll start with Hanifin, who became the latest important player to rebuff the Flames on a long-term contract offer. Hanifin really did enjoy his time in Calgary and strongly considered signing the team’s offer, which was believed to be in excess of $60 million over eight years. But, as an American, the allure of playing south of the border with a chance to win now ended up tilting the scales.

The circumstances have been different for every player. Tanev was looking to compete for a championship right away. Lindholm and the team were stalled on contract details. Johnny Gaudreau wanted to be closer to home.

And then there’s the hard facts. As a small market team in Canada, the Flames can’t compete with the tax advantages offered in Florida, Nevada, Tennessee, or Texas. Calgary is a safe, beautiful city, but it’s not New York, Chicago, Miami, or Los Angeles from a lifestyle perspective. Oh, and the Flames also play out of the NHL’s oldest building.

The great equalizer for teams like Calgary is winning (a new arena in fall 2027 won’t hurt either). The Flames are retooling in an attempt to meaningfully contend in three or four years. If successful, it’ll be a lot less difficult to retain key players and attract new ones in free agency.

Despite plenty of rumoured interest from New Jersey, the Flames opted not to trade Markstrom prior to the deadline. With or without him, though, Calgary has already started its pivot. This is going to be a younger team with eyes on the future, which is why intrigue surrounding Markstrom’s future isn’t going away anytime soon.

Markstrom is 34 with two years left on his contract. Understandably, he wants to win now, and the Flames know it. All reports suggest the Devils will still be interested this summer. And depending on how the playoffs go for other teams with uncertain goaltending situations, the market could easily open up beyond New Jersey.

While the speculation around Markstrom’s future has subsided temporarily, it’ll be front of mind again once Calgary’s offseason is underway.

We’ll focus on the first part of Anand’s question, although the expectation remains that Kylington re-ups with the Flames for another year or two prior to free agency. There’s a great deal of gratitude from Kylington’s side for how supportive the Flames were during his 17-month personal leave, so an extension seems natural.

As for AHL recalls between now and the end of the regular season, I’ve got my eye on a couple. Artem Grushnikov is the defence prospect acquired in the Tanev trade with Dallas. And Jeremie Poirier is a highly skilled blueliner back playing after missing four months recovering from a nasty cut sustained in October.