The Calgary Flames’ NHL regular season begins in just 10 days. The 2025–26 campaign opens with a Battle of Alberta on the road to face off against the Edmonton Oilers. The Flames have four preseason games remaining in preparation, and one of the biggest decisions left to make will be who starts the season in the final defence spot.
The Flames’ blue line is primed for a youth movement, and Zayne Parekh has already established that he deserves a spot. Competition for the bottom pairing has been tighter than many would’ve imagined, with Hunter Brzustewicz fighting for an NHL spot amongst Jake Bean, Daniil Miromanov, Ilya Solovyov, and Yan Kuznetsov.
This week, we wanted to know who Flames fans think deserves the last spot on defence. We asked, you answered.
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Who should earn the final spot on defence?
We presented the below poll to our readers:
Who should earn the final spot on defence?
— The Win Column (@wincolumnCGY) September 27, 2025
Hunter Brzustewicz
Hunter Brzustewicz was clearly the favourite in this week’s poll, collecting over 60% of votes. The 20-year-old defenceman is tied for third in preseason scoring, tallying two assists against the Seattle Kraken last week. Averaging over 19 minutes a game, he’s looked solid defensively and calculated on offence.
Brzustewicz played 70 games for the Calgary Wranglers last season, posting five goals and 32 points. Making his NHL debut in the final game of the 2025 NHL season, Brzustewicz is right on the edge of being an everyday NHLer. There are still a few games left in the preseason, and he has a big opportunity to cement himself as a clear favourite to start the year with the NHL club.
Brzustewicz is not the same player as Zayne Parekh, but he brings a lot more offensive flavour than a Jake Bean or Joel Hanley. As we all know, the Flames need offensive help desperately. Even if he doesn’t start the season with the Flames, Hunter will certainly see more than a couple NHL games this season.
Ilya Solovyov or Yan Kuznetsov
Ilya Solovyov and Yan Kuznetsov combined for 29% of the votes this week, finishing second in this week’s poll.
Solovyov, a former 2020 seventh-round pick, has played in 15 NHL games over the past two seasons. Last year, he played a big role for the Calgary Wranglers, posting 28 points in 59 games. The 25-year-old Belarusian has suited up for two preseason games and has played alright, but not stood out.
Kuznetsov, a former 2020 second-round pick, has suited up for only a single NHL game in his career, back in 2023–24. Kuznetsov has struggled to find his footing in the NHL despite his top 50 draft status. The 6’4” defenceman hasn’t turned many heads this preseason, but there’s still time for him to establish himself.
Both Solovyov and Kuznetsov could be nearing the end of their respective roads with the Flames. With a pipeline of promising defensive talent, the Flames won’t be eager to hang onto fringe NHLers in their mid-20s.
Daniil Miromanov or Jake Bean
Oh boy, Danill Miromanov and Jake Bean combined for a mere 10% of votes. I hate to do this to Miromanov two weeks in a row, but the odds just aren’t in his favour.
Jake Bean, on the other hand, might have the best chance out of anyone in this conversation as far as management is concerned. Unfortunately, I get the sense Bean’s hometown status and connection with the Flames are too deep to send him down. He hasn’t had a standout preseason, but not a poor one, really. It might be just enough to earn the sixth spot.
Wrapping up
The decisions the Flames make in the coming weeks will be a strong indicator of the direction this team plans to take in the 2025–26 campaign. The defensive group is beginning to stock up on defensive prospects, with Zayne Parekh a shoo-in to start the 2025 NHL season, and Hunter Brzustewicz trying everything in his power to also earn a spot on October 8’s lineup card.
With a handful of preseason games left, we’ll see if Brzustewicz continues to grow his gap on the competition. Flames fans can only hope.
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