Will Hunter Brzustewicz Earn a Full-Time Role in 2026/27?
Hunter Brzustewicz is one of the most intriguing young players in the Calgary Flames organization, but even after getting an extended opportunity during the 2025/26, his position long-term with the organization isn't guaranteed. That is due to the addition of Simon Nemec, but with Zach Whitecloud drawing trade interest this off-season, a big camp from Brzustewicz could force the Flames hand and give them an exciting young core of Nemec, Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh.
While he remains a Flame, Zach Whitecloud has a clear role on the right-side of the defense, so with a strong training camp, the former Canucks third-round draft pick will be looking to force Craig Conroy into a major decision.
In his first full campaign with the Flames, Brzustewicz appeared in 34 games, tallying 2 goals and 7 points in that time, and given the potential he's flashed, the third pairing spot alongside Yan Kuznetsov could be his. Ultimately, at 21-years-old with the immense hockey IQ and upside, the team should be prioritizing him, but now, it appears it's up to the player to make something happen, and with outside interest in Whitecloud, he could flip the script and win that spot full-time moving forward.
Where Does Samuel Honzek fit in the Calgary Flames Lineup?
All eyes in Calgary are on the future that has not yet arrived, but at the NHL level, 2026/27 will provide several players in their early 20's with the opportunity to make a statement and prove themselves as future pieces of the organization. The player with perhaps the most to prove is Samuel Honzek, the Flames 2023 first-round pick that has shown out in their last two training camps, but with early season injuries, he hasn't had the chance to build upon impressive starts.
In an 18 game stretch to start 2025/26, Honzek had 2 goals and 4 points, and while that's not fantastic output, the two-way game that he showed was something that could make him a long-term answer in the Flames middle-six.
We've seen Honzek impress over the past two years at camp, and after adding 15 pounds of muscle last year, he was looking better than ever, and while his spot in the lineup isn't guaranteed, if the Flames can find him a permanent role, they may have a solid piece for years to come in Honzek.
Add us as a preferred source on Google