Calgary Flames defence call-up Yan Kuznetsov just secured a special keepsake — the puck that he skittered up ice for his first NHL assist.
Already, he can’t wait to hand it off.
“My dad collects pucks, of all types,” Kuznetsov told Postmedia after Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. “He’ll love this, so it probably will go to my dad.”
Wednesday’s apple really was just a bonus for the 23-year-old Kuznetsov.
He had been waiting nearly 22 months for an opportunity to suit for his second NHL game, work-horsing for AHL’s Wranglers as he continued to build a case that he is ready for big-league duties.
He was finally promoted Tuesday from the farm team, an unexpected transaction since it leaves the Flames with eight healthy rearguards, and was plugged onto the third pairing for what was one of the more special nights at the Saddledome in recent memory.
If Kuznetsov is a golfer, this was really good timing — hours before the ceremony to mark his 1,000th game, Nazem Kadri gifted each of his teammates a Scotty Cameron putter.
Yes, even the new guy.
“It was a long time coming, but it felt awesome,” said Kuznetsov, who made his NHL debut in January of 2024 and has, in the meantime, logged 122 more appearances in the minors. “Especially with Kads playing his 1,000th game, to witness it and to celebrate with him and take part in it, it’s awesome. It’s a great accomplishment.
“You just think how much effort this guy put in and the kind of professional he is. You see him every day, doing the same thing, and you just try to learn from those guys.”
While it’s no silver stick, Kuznetsov’s own souvenir from Wednesday is pretty darn cool.
His dad, Dmitri, will certainly think so.
Make no mistake, Kuznetsov was summoned from the Wranglers because of his steady, sound defensive work and his 6-foot-5 frame, not because anybody is expecting him to be an offensive difference-maker.
However, this lengthy lefty started a second-period scoring sequence Wednesday with a simple play, capitalizing on his extended reach to chop a puck away from Blue Jackets forward Zach Aston-Reese and off the side-boards in his own zone.
Whether or not that was intended as a bank-pass or simply a safe out, forward Adam Klapka was soon sprung on an odd-man rush, eventually looking off Yegor Sharangovich and going glove-side for a beauty.
In 13:56 of ice-time against the Blue Jackets, Kuznetsov was credited with one assist, one shot, two hits and a plus-2 rating.
The Russian blue-liner admitted that a couple of extended first-period shifts “got my heart-rate up pretty quick.”
At the tail end of one of those, he sacrificed his body to block a 90 mph slapper from Jake Christiansen, with the Flames then able to clear that puck for a line change.
“I thought he looked nervous to start with, which is probably to be expected,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska assessed during Wednesday’s post-game presser. “But then as the game went on, I thought he settled in and played a nice game.”
Nice enough to earn another?
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We’ll find out Friday as the Flames play host to Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.
Huska doesn’t often tinker after decisive victories, but there will is external pressure to get rookie Zayne Parekh back into the lineup. The 19-year-old has been scratched for three of the past four.
“I think I know what to do now,” Kuznetsov said after his second NHL outing. “I know my role better and what kind of game I have to play to be successful. So definitely, it’s not tippy-toes. I’ve gotta dive in.
“I don’t want it to be one-and-done to play in this league. So take one day at a time, make the most of this opportunity and see what happens.”
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