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Fantasy Summary

Suniev is a winger with an array of plus-level tools and habits, if he can significantly improve his skating, he has upside as a versatile two-way goalscorer in a middle-six.


Observations

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April 2025 – The Calgary Flames signed Suniev to a three-year, entry-level contract. In 2024 -25, Suniev played 35 games for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He was second in team scoring with 38 points (20 goals and 18 assists). Mark Henry

June 2023 – Suniev was selected 80th overall by the Flames. Pat Quinn

April 2023 – While Bradly Nadeau has gotten the majority of the focus as a 2023 draft-eligible out of the historically dominant 2022-23 Penticton Vees team, his teammate, Aydar Suniev, is equally intriguing as a prospect, if not more so. Suniev’s skating is… poor. It is in contention for the worst in the 2023 draft class (among top-100 talents) with Matthew Wood. His stride is extremely wide, choppy, and inefficient, presenting the biggest hurdle in his development. Suniev has developed various adaptive skills to compensate for his poor skating. He is tenacious all over the ice, which makes him a powerful puck carrier, pestering forechecker, and a defensively engaged winger. His off-puck habits are very strong. He’s a strong back checker, is consistently well-positioned, finds space offensively, and attacks the slot and middle lane offensively. He is an intelligent player who leverages his brain to create advantages. Just how translatable this will be as he makes a big jump in competition remains a bit of a question. If his development were up to me, I would glue him to a high-end skating coach and give him a few years. His foundation of awareness, sound habits and positioning, deadly release, excellent puck protection mechanics, and consistent work rate is a solid one to build on. He has an identity as a player, and I can see what type of middle-six player he could become with significant skating improvement. Sebastian High

Attributes
Fantasy Upside 7.5
NHL Certainty 6.0
Country RUS
Position LW
Roster Type NHL
Shoot/Glove Left
Date of Birth November 16, 2004
Height 6‘2”
Weight 198 lbs
Drafted 2023 Round 3; Overall: 80
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Stats – Frozen Tools – Profile on FT

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAPTSPIM+/-
2024-2025NHLCalgary Flames100002
2024-2025NCAAUMass352018384112
2023-2024NCAAUniv. of Massachusetts36121325251
2022-2023BCHLPenticton Vees50454590440
2021-2022PHCSt. Andrew's College211220
2021-2022GOJHLPort Colborne Sailors353840
2021-2022CAHSSt. Andrew's College1113102320
2021-2022BCHLPenticton Vees179112020
2020-2021Russia U17CSKA Moskva U17201100
2019-2020ECEL 16UThe Hill Academy U16 Prep827900
2019-2020CSSHLE U18The Hill Academy U18 Prep231400
2019-2020BEAST 15UYale Jr. Bulldogs 15U AAA822400
2019-202015U AAAYale Jr. Bulldogs 15U AAA1822173900
2018-2019WSI U15CSKA Moskva Selects U158461060
2017-2018WSI U14CSKA Moskva Selects U14822400

Highlights