https://www.nhl.com/flames/player/hunter-brzustewicz-8484150

Fantasy Summary

A mobile and intelligent defender who moves the puck efficiently. He excels at transitioning the puck and finding open teammates for long passes. However, consistency is a concern.


Observations

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June 2025 – After a 92-point campaign with the Kitchener Rangers last year in the OHL, this year Brzustewicz made the jump to professional hockey and impressed in his first season. He was second in Wranglers’ scoring among defensemen. He scored 32 points in 70 games and even got a taste of NHL action late in the season versus the LA Kings, where he played 18 minutes and was a +2. This is an encouraging sign for Brzustewicz that the organization trusts him enough to play him in an NHL game, even if it is one where the Flames were already eliminated. He could benefit from another year in the AHL. Still, with the uncertainty that surrounds the Flames’ defensive core, specifically Rasmus Andersson, it could lead to Brzustewicz seeing significant action and eventually getting some power play time down the line after MacKenzie Weegar wraps up his career. James Connelly

February 2024 – As part of the package that the Flames received for Elias Lindholm, Brzustewicz was traded from Vancouver to Calgary. The Kitchener Rangers defenseman has an outstanding season, ranking second in points by a blueliner with 78 in 55 OHL contests. He instantly becomes one of Calgary’s best prospects on the back-end. Curtis Rines

October 2023 – Despite finishing eighth in points among all defensemen in the OHL last year (57 points), Brzustewicz was initially projected to be a second-round pick. However, he ultimately fell to the 75th pick in the draft. Past injuries and inconsistent performance were the primary factors contributing to this drop in the draft. In the first five games of this season, Brzustewicz has been on fire, recording two goals and five assists. He has a real opportunity to become an outstanding offensive defenseman in the NHL if he can improve his consistency. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

June 2023 – Brzustewicz was selected 75th overall by the Canucks. Pat Quinn

October 2022 – Brzustewicz is the exact type of player a contending team will rush to the podium to draft in the back end of the first round in the 2023 draft. He is a smooth-skating, intelligent right-shot defenseman who is calm under pressure and should be able to play an NHL role sooner than most other defensemen in the class. While he lacks high-end puck skills, a threatening shot, and aggressive transition defensive habits – such as a tight gap – he does a lot of things very well and simplifies the game, which makes him a valuable diffuser of play under forechecking pressure. His skating ability is what enables him to play this style so effectively. Brzustewicz’s edgework is borderline elite, and his stride mechanics are very good – he moves with real fluidity and purpose – which facilitates evading opposing players. Offensive transition is where he shines brightest. Despite keeping his simple style and rarely going for the hail mary stretch pass or taking the puck end-to-end on his own, he finds the best simple plays to gain zone entries, and he does so extremely effectively and subtly. Brzustewicz also has untapped offensive potential, which is starting to make itself clear with seven assists through six games on a struggling Kitchener Rangers team. He will likely never become a first-pairing NHLer, but a ceiling as a dependable second-pairing guy who progresses play very effectively in transition and has some playmaking flashes at even strength is certainly there. Sebastian High

Attributes
Fantasy Upside 7.0
NHL Certainty 8.5
Country USA
Position D
Roster Type Minors
Shoot/Glove Right
Date of Birth November 29, 2004
Height 6‘0”
Weight 190 lbs
Drafted 2023 Round 3; Overall: 75
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Stats – Frozen Tools – Profile on FT

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAPTSPIM+/-
2024-2025NHLCalgary Flames100022
2024-2025AHLCalgary Wranglers705273214-9
2023-2024OHLKitchener Rangers671379922431
2022-2023OHLKitchener Rangers6865157128
2021-2022WJC-18USA U18502225
2021-2022USHLUSNTDP Juniors2509905
2021-2022USA-S17Team White100020
2021-2022NTDPU.S. National U18 Team55218201025
2021-2022Hlinka Gretzky CupUSA U18403302
2020-2021NTDPU.S. National U17 Team302200
2019-2020YOGUSA U16403320
2019-2020USA-S15Team Navy423540
2019-2020HPHL 15UOakland Jr. Grizzlies 15U AAA1036920
2019-202015U AAAOakland Jr. Grizzlies 15U AAA661596111085
2018-2019WSI U15Draftday Selects U15912300
2018-2019HPHL 14UHoneybaked 14U AAA208273580
2017-2018WSI U14Draftday Hockey Selects U14 2901100
2017-2018HPHL 13UHoneybaked 13U AAA1706600
2016-2017QC Int PWDetroit Honeybaked501120
2015-2016WSI U12Draftday Hockey Selects U12913480
2013-2014Brick InvitationalDetroit Red Wings604400

Highlights