Yan Kuznetsov is impressing during his Flames audition

Gang, the 2025-26 season hasn’t gone according to plan for the Calgary Flames.

Their playoff hopes are faint and dwindling. Top prospect Zayne Parekh struggled at times and then suffered an injury a couple weeks back against Chicago. 2023 first-rounder Sam Honzek finally broke through as a full-time NHLer, but was knocked out of the lineup for a bit after a collision with teammate Mikael Backlund.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for the red team, as rookie blueliner Yan Kuznetsov is making the most of his recent opportunity on the big club.

Originally from Murmansk, Russia – a city in far northwest Russia, closer to Finland than Moscow – Kuznetsov is a 6’5″, 209 pound defender. After playing his hockey growing up in Russia, he moved to North America in 2018-19 as a 16-year-old to join the United States Hockey League’s Sioux Fall Stampede. (His team that year also featured future NHLers Jaxson Stauber, Matt Kessel, Max Crozier, Andre Lee and Ryan Johnson.)

In 2019-20, as a 17-year-old, Kuznetsov moved onto the NCAA, joining the University of Connecticut Huskies. Following his freshman year, he was selected by the Flames in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft. After his sophomore season, he signed his entry-level deal with the Flames. Following that season he was also drafted by the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs in the CHL’s annual Import Draft.

After a brief audition at the AHL level, Kuznetsov spent his 19-year-old season (2021-22) with the Sea Dogs and was part of the team that won the 2022 Memorial Cup. He went pro full-time the following season with the Wranglers. Quietly, Kuznetsov became one of the most reliable two-way defenders in the Flames system. While Kuznetsov made his NHL debut in Jan. 2024, arguably his breakout accomplishments were in 2024-25: he played in every single Wranglers game and set a career high in points, while partnering with rookie Hunter Brzustewicz on the their most reliable pairing.

After a strong start to this season, pairing with a mix of Brzustewicz and Jeremie Poirier, Kuznetsov was summoned by the Flames on Nov. 4. He’s played in each of the last eight games, playing one game with Rasmus Andersson, two with Brayden Pachal and the last five with MacKenzie Weegar.

Since being paired with Kuznetsov, Weegar is playing some of his best hockey of the season. Meanwhile, Kuznetsov seems to be finding a really nice rhythm at the NHL level. Two games into Kuznetsov’s partnership with Weegar, Flames head coach Ryan Huska was asked what Weegar was bringing out in Kuznetsov’s game.

“I think it might be almost the other way around,” said Huska, via Flames TV. “You know, we need Kuznetsov to be a simple, harder defenceman to play against to allow McKenzie a little bit of freedom to be a little bit more creative offensively. And for three of the four games that Kuznetsov’s played, I think he’s done a really good job with that. So the challenge for him is make sure it’s a consistent thing. You always look at young guys that no matter how many games they’ve now got under their belt, they should always treat it like their first game in the NHL. So there needs to be some urgency to what you do. There has to be consistency to how you have to play the game and how we expect you to play the game.”

Kuznetsov seems to be relishing the opportunity to play with Weegar.

“Definitely, definitely makes me happy with what I do, and I enjoy playing with Weegs,” said Kuznetsov following a recent practice at the Saddledome. “I hope he enjoys it at least a little bit the same as I do. So, he’s one of the best offensive defencemen. Not many guys can score 20 goals, so whenever I can, just try to get [it] in his hands and just let him cook.”

Kuznetsov isn’t a perfect hockey player. He’s young and he’s had occasional lapses. But eight games into his NHL audition, he’s shown growth on the ice and has a good understanding of what makes him effective and what a good game is for someone in his role.

“The biggest thing for me is gaps and reading the rush, just not to be caught in the odd man rushes, being close to guys and being aware of everybody on the ice,” said Kuznetsov. “And whenever we get the puck, trying to get to be an option for my guys, and in a D-zone, head on a swivel, and whenever I get a chance, I got to be first on the puck and win the puck battles. So those are things I’m looking at when I watch the tape.”

The Flames are back in action this weekend when they host the Dallas Stars and then face the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver. If Kuznetsov plays in both games, he’ll reach the 10 game mark and become eligible for waivers again. If that happens, his audition could be extended indefinitely. After a few seasons of seasoning with the Wranglers, he looks like he belongs in the NHL.