Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - The Calgary Flames Have A Hunter Brzustewicz PROBLEM… | BB Clips

Episode Date: September 23, 2026

Video Link: https://youtu.be/GRDfa0MEeToBoomer and Rhett dive into the difficult situation facing Hunter Brzustewicz as the Flames get closer to the start of the season. After getting a legitimate look in the NHL last year, Brzustewicz now appears to be on the outside looking in on a crowded Calgary blue line and likely headed back to the AHL to begin the year. It’s a tough spot for a young defenceman who has shown offensive upside but suddenly has a number of players ahead of him on the depth chart. The guys discuss where Hunter fits, what he needs to do in the AHL and how quickly things can change with injuries and opportunities. It sucks for the kid, but is there simply no room for him in Calgary right now? #nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #calgaryflames CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️ BARN BURNER MERCH https://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/Flamesnation BARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8 📲 Follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en 🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIi Producer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He's probably going to have to start the year in the American Hockey League, just based on one-way deals. It's going to start. I don't know how you avoid it. It's like, oh, you make trades. Well, that's easier said than done sometimes. There's salary. Somebody's got to want the guy you're treating.

Yeah. You've got to find a willing trade partner. So it would be the one fly in the ointment. And as an organization, It's not a big deal. As an individual, this blows. Yeah. What are you talking about?

I got to go, no. I proved I could play last year. The one thing that you can kind of use, I guess, if you're the team, if you played 34 games. On one hand, I get why you're disappointed. On the flip side, we're happy to have you. It's not like you couldn't get in, you've never gotten in. You played a third of the season. And we're going to get you back here.

You just have, just give us time. We, we love you. Well, the problem with, I'll play the Hunter Bristavits. Yeah, I know. You'll be GM. It's the easier one of the two for sure. That's all fine and good, except what happens in a year from now when another defenseman's come along and now the, do you know what I mean? Like, you're always up against a Chris Armstrong was a defense played Moose Jaw, was trapped by Florida, went to Florida.

The year I got drafted. That was, he got dropped the year before me. blah, blah, blah. He had an unbelievable training camp, and the lockout came, and he never got another sniff. Yeah. I always think to that because probably he starts the year with the Florida Panthers at that point. He played that well in training camp.

Never got another sniff. Do you feel like that plays itself out, though, even if he would have gotten the sniff, that he... I don't because sometimes you crack the door open and you get in, and now it's open for you, and it's closed for the next guy. Yeah. And there is a word of caution for if I'm Hunter and his agent or whatever, it's like, this is great, you love us, but nobody's going to promise you're in the NHL next year or even this year, right?

Like, it sounds good, and I know you're well-intentioned, but Nemich, Carls. Perak. Perak. Ball. I know. I'm a little now you can be come unbelievably deniable and where it's like well fine we'll just trade you to another team

but there's only so many spots and when you get a chance you don't want to that was my concern I'd be probably bored here I made Florida went to world juniors and I was convinced after world juniors it was back to junior back to Saskatoon and I was like oh no

because you don't want somebody else taking that spot. And that's a whole other year and things change. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. If you've got your foot in the door, you, yeah, get through the door. Be integral to what they're doing.

And he has to be thinking that. Does it the end of the world if he goes and plays in the Wranglers? Absolutely not. But as a player, you're going, F me. Yeah. This.

And I often wonder what's, what's easier or what's what makes it worse, that you're in the same building and down the hall. In one respect, well, you're close. I know some of the guys. Got practice. I'm not part of it.

There they go. They're going on that road trip. Oh, private jet? Yeah, we're busing to wherever. I don't know what makes that easier. Bakersfield, hey? Yeah, yeah. The one thing about this camp is there really aren't that many jobs available.

You start looking at what it is. which again is disappointing probably for prospects. You'd like to think here's a young rebuilding team and there should be a bunch of jobs. They've traded a bunch of guys away. There's not a ton because of all the way. There's not an NHL team in the world. There's not an NHL team that has six spots open.

It just doesn't happen. No, right? Maybe one or two spots here or there. I mean, Vancouver would be the same way. They're worse in the league. It's like, well, they're going to have, guys under contract that are kind of slotted in there. There's no team that's going to be, come on in, show us what you got.

If you're the best player on the ice during training camp, well, it's not how it works. Yeah. It'd be in your head thinking, well, this is a rebuilding thing. They're going young and I still can't get a sniff. Well, how the hell am I ever, if I can't do it here? I think they'll continue to dismantle and move guys in and out and spots will open up. So it can't be at one week. I've been really good for one week.

I'm on the team. It's a, I'm here. Keep watching me. I'm ready. Okay. Here's a spot.