Prospect Info: Hunter Brzustewicz

[Habsrule]

Sorry I’m a bit late to the party on this thread but I have Kitchener Rangers season tickets and have watched him play live over the last two seasons.

He actually is a tale of two players. In his draft year he played a lot more of a conservative style of game. He had 57 points in 68 games but with just 6 goals. He made the safe defensive play way more often than not. He is a late birthday so I had to keep in mind that he was older than almost everyone in his draft year.

This past year Kitchener had an all new coaching staff and they took the reins off. He was welcome to join the play and even lead the rush. He was rewarded with 92 points over 67 games. 13 of those points were goals. Because he played a more offensive style of game he was caught defensively at times. He doesn’t play a physical game but he has a great stick check. He really slipped in the draft for some unknown reason.

He also has personality to him. This was a post game interview after they won 9-2.

 

[Fig]

Sorry I’m a bit late to the party on this thread but I have Kitchener Rangers season tickets and have watched him play live over the last two seasons.

He actually is a tale of two players. In his draft year he played a lot more of a conservative style of game. He had 57 points in 68 games but with just 6 goals. He made the safe defensive play way more often than not. He is a late birthday so I had to keep in mind that he was older than almost everyone in his draft year.

This past year Kitchener had an all new coaching staff and they took the reins off. He was welcome to join the play and even lead the rush. He was rewarded with 92 points over 67 games. 13 of those points were goals. Because he played a more offensive style of game he was caught defensively at times. He doesn’t play a physical game but he has a great stick check. He really slipped in the draft for some unknown reason.

He also has personality to him. This was a post game interview after they won 9-2.

This development path sounds familiar but I cannot put my finger on it. It seems like we were saying something similar to a Flames dman or two in the last 5 years. That's encouraging to me because it means we can be optimistic that our coaching staff's style will work well for developing Brewski.

 

[DeltaSwede]

Hi Flames fans, I come in peace.

Since drafting Parekh and Mews in the 2024 draft has there been any changes to the talk about Brzustewicz? Has his stock fallen amongst you?

In the past Brzustewicz has had a tendency of wanting out of situations where he is faced with a lot of competition for opportunity (Michigan, Canucks).

Where does he rank among your prospects?

 

[Backlund]

Hi Flames fans, I come in peace.

Since drafting Parekh and Mews in the 2024 draft has there been any changes to the talk about Brzustewicz? Has his stock fallen amongst you?

In the past Brzustewicz has had a tendency of wanting out of situations where he is faced with a lot of competition for opportunity (Michigan, Canucks).

Where does he rank among your prospects?

Among defenseman he's 2nd after Parekh currently. With everyone included it's hard to tell at the moment, probably top 5.

Parekh
Wolf
Coronato
Gridin
Brzustewicz


Still have the rest of prospect camp and training camp to go before a more definitive list can be made. There isn't much competition blocking him from making the NHL roster (Miromanov & Pachal) and the AHL team is full of LD. If he can't grab a spot on the team before Parekh and Mews get here then its his fault.

 

[Volica]

Hi Flames fans, I come in peace.

Since drafting Parekh and Mews in the 2024 draft has there been any changes to the talk about Brzustewicz? Has his stock fallen amongst you?

In the past Brzustewicz has had a tendency of wanting out of situations where he is faced with a lot of competition for opportunity (Michigan, Canucks).

Where does he rank among your prospects?

In terms of defensive prospects he's probably number 2.
In terms of overall prospects he's going to be somewhere in that 3-7 range depending on whose ratings you're looking at.

There's a pretty compelling case to be made that he leap frogged our 1st rounder from 2023 mostly because Honzek hasn't been able to stay healthy nor really cement himself as a big ticket prospect by any stretch of the imagination; that said he's monster sized and we know some of those guys take a while to sort of figure out.

 

[Double Dion]

Hi Flames fans, I come in peace.

Since drafting Parekh and Mews in the 2024 draft has there been any changes to the talk about Brzustewicz? Has his stock fallen amongst you?

In the past Brzustewicz has had a tendency of wanting out of situations where he is faced with a lot of competition for opportunity (Michigan, Canucks).

Where does he rank among your prospects?

I view Brzustewicz differently from most. I don't think his offense is going to translate. I don't think he'll ever score more than 40 points in the NHL. I do think he'll be an excellent defender. I know I'm in the minority on this, but I see a Leopold, Lydman, Tanev type. Not big and physical, but good positionally and good puck mover. He's not going to block shots with his face like Tanev, but he's going to do a lot of the other things he did well.

I have it like this:

1. Parekh
2. Wolf
3. Brzustewicz
4. Coronato

In terms of defensive prospects he's probably number 2.
In terms of overall prospects he's going to be somewhere in that 3-7 range depending on whose ratings you're looking at.

There's a pretty compelling case to be made that he leap frogged our 1st rounder from 2023 mostly because Honzek hasn't been able to stay healthy nor really cement himself as a big ticket prospect by any stretch of the imagination; that said he's monster sized and we know some of those guys take a while to sort of figure out.

Honzek was just an awful pick. I had him in the middle of the 2nd round behind Riley Heidt even who went at the end of the 2nd round. We took him in the lottery. Ceiling is middle six wing. I couldn't fathom when they tried telling us he could play C. He never will. Scouts did much better this year. I think we had a top 3 draft. Not saying our draft was bad last year, just the key pick was awful.

 

[FLAMESFAN]

I hope Brewski makes us give him the NHL games after camp, instead of Park, and Poirier as a longshot. I see him NHL ready by next year.
Brewski - Park sounds like a great combo!

But to answer the guys question - we still value him very much.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

In terms of defensive prospects he's probably number 2.
In terms of overall prospects he's going to be somewhere in that 3-7 range depending on whose ratings you're looking at.

There's a pretty compelling case to be made that he leap frogged our 1st rounder from 2023 mostly because Honzek hasn't been able to stay healthy nor really cement himself as a big ticket prospect by any stretch of the imagination; that said he's monster sized and we know some of those guys take a while to sort of figure out.

We could have had Musty.

 

[Fig]

I hope Brewski makes us give him the NHL games after camp, instead of Park, and Poirier as a longshot. I see him NHL ready by next year.
Brewski - Park sounds like a great combo!

But to answer the guys question - we still value him very much.

Why should he go from OHL straight to NHL? Just let him slowly transition by starting in the AHL this season?

 

[DeltaSwede]

I hope Brewski makes us give him the NHL games after camp, instead of Park, and Poirier as a longshot. I see him NHL ready by next year.
Brewski - Park sounds like a great combo!

But to answer the guys question - we still value him very much.

Thanks!
- The guy

 

[FLAMESFAN]

Why should he go from OHL straight to NHL? Just let him slowly transition by starting in the AHL this season?

I'm saying I'd rather see Brewski get to stick around for a bit after camp to wet his beak, instead of Park - if its earned ofcourse. I do not by any means think he's not going to play in the AHL for the majority of this season.

 

[Khrox]

Hi Flames fans, I come in peace.

Since drafting Parekh and Mews in the 2024 draft has there been any changes to the talk about Brzustewicz? Has his stock fallen amongst you?

In the past Brzustewicz has had a tendency of wanting out of situations where he is faced with a lot of competition for opportunity (Michigan, Canucks).

Where does he rank among your prospects?

Honestly, probably comes in second in D prospects, and around 5 or so overall.

The thing is, at least in interviews so far, he's been actively going on about how he actually feels wanted by the Flames organization. So it's possible that wanting out of the Canucks has something to do behind the scenes as well.