It’s often said that there are no small parts, just small actors. In the context of a National Hockey League hockey club, some members of the team play less or have roles that aren’t quite as showy as others may be. But if you have the right person in those smaller roles, they can help your hockey club win.

With that in mind, let’s talk about blueliner Brayden Pachal, who was one of 2024-25’s quieter success stories.

Pachal’s 2024-25 expectations

A product of Estevan, Saskatchewan, Pachal came up through the Western League, starting out with the Victoria Royals before really blossoming with the Prince Albert Raiders. Pachal wasn’t ever drafted, but he led the Raiders to a WHL championship as captain in his 19-year-old season and earned an entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights.

Pachal was a victim, in some ways, of the Golden Knights’ depth on the back end. Vegas made a few shrewd gambles with depth players early on in their existence, and while Pachal played four and a half seasons in the Vegas system he only ended up playing in 29 NHL games. When he hit the waiver wire prior to the 2024 trade deadline, the Flames felt he had potential and claimed him.

After arriving, Pachal quickly earned the trust of head coach Ryan Huska with his consistent, predictable, reliable brand of hockey. But Pachal had still only played 61 NHL games so while it was clear that he had potential, he hadn’t really cemented himself as an everyday NHLer yet.

How Pachal did in 2024-25

Pachal spent pretty much the entire 2024-25 season on the Flames’ third pairing. He played the least, per game, of any of the Flames’ blueliners. But he suited up for 76 games, by far his career high, and only Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar played more games than Pachal. He was fourth on the Flames among blueliners with 12 points – behind Weegar, Andersson and Kevin Bahl – and his possession numbers were solid, if unspectacular, given his usage and role.

The Flames asked Pachal to kill penalties, play a simple game in his own zone, throwing some hits, blocking some shots and boxing out opposition attackers. He played with a rotation of players before finding some chemistry with Jake Bean midway through the season, but he generally looked comfortable in his role.

Pachal was reliable enough that the Flames signed him to a two year contract extension midway through the year. There’s very little that’s showy or thrilling about Pachal’s game. He doesn’t score a ton or go on end-to-end rushes. He plays a simple, smart, consistent game. And he’s good at it, and so he’s found a role with the Flames.

Next season’s expectation

If the question heading into 2024-25 was whether Pachal could be an everyday NHLer, the question facing him in 2025-26 may be regarding whether there’s a bit more to his game than he’s shown. Can Pachal play on his off-side? Can he generate a little bit more offence than he has so far?

The Flames have a bevy of promising young blueliners in their system, but aside from Zayne Parekh, they’re all probably another season or two away from pushing for NHL games. So Pachal has a head start on them, and if he can keep playing well and filling his role well – however small his role is on the team – perhaps he can cement himself in the Flames’ long-term plans.