Jake Bean out indefinitely, is Hunter Brzustewicz sticking around?

Jake Bean is set for a long spell on the sidelines.

That could mean Hunter Brzustewicz is going to be sticking around with the Calgary Flames.

On Thursday morning, Flames head coach Ryan Huska announced Bean will be undergoing surgery for an undisclosed issue that’s been affecting him for “quite a while now.”

The Flames don’t know for sure that Bean’s season is done, but he’ll be out indefinitely and that’s not especially encouraging.

“It is something longer-term,” Huska explained. “It just got to the point where it wasn’t responding much to anything, so this is the best path forward for him.”

Bean has played in 16 games on the blueline for the Flames this season and made 64 appearances for the club last year. The Calgary native picked up a goal and an assist, and his contract is up at the end of the season.

It’s a tough break for Bean but presents an opportunity for Brzustewicz to stake a claim to a permanent spot on the Flames roster.

After making one appearance last season in the team’s final game, the 21-year-old was called up last week and has impressed in three-straight outings prior to Thursday’s matchup with the Seattle Kraken. While he hasn’t recorded a point yet, he’s a +1 and has looked poised and composed while playing in a third-pairing role next to Joel Hanley.

“I love it, he’s shown a lot of confidence and poise with the puck,” Hanley said. “You can tell he’s a great player and is going to have a great future. Poise with the puck is the big thing, he doesn’t panic. It seems like he makes the right play with the puck most times.”

That poise comes up again and again in conversations about Brzustewicz. The offence will come, but he’s got a confidence with the puck on his stick that’s impressive for a player his age.

Maybe that’s unsurprising. Brzustewicz put up big offensive numbers in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers and his stock has only risen since the Vancouver Canucks selected him with their third-round pick, 75th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft.

A key piece of the return the Flames got when they sent Elias Lindholm to the Canucks in early 2024, he’s patiently been honing his game in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers for the past 15 months.

And for the first three NHL games he’s played this season, at least, he’s looked like he belongs.

“I think he’s been good for us,” Huska said. “When you watch him play the game, to me, he’s played with some maturity. I don’t know if that makes sense or not but the plays he’s making with the puck are smart players, they’re not high-risk plays.

“He’s still made some offensive plays that have allowed us to get into positions to score, that’s one of his strengths, but what I like about him is he doesn’t make it something where he has to skate through two or three guys or sauce the puck over four sticks to do it. He’s making plays that are there to be made and I think he’s shown great composure with the puck, so far.’

Will that be enough for Brzustewicz to stick around in the NHL?

He was set to play in a fourth-straight game for the Flames against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday evening at the Saddledome, and with Bean sidelined there’s a place for him on the NHL roster.

Having him in the lineup means Brayden Pachal has been a healthy scratch and there will be a decision to make when Zayne Parekh returns from the world juniors in January, but for now, there’s no compelling reason to send Brzustewicz down to the AHL.

There’s a roster spot for him and he’s making the most of the ice time he’s getting, which has notably included shifts at the end of close games. That’s not something you see every young blueliner get.

“I like to think I excel in those situations, the puck-moving and getting the puck to the forwards,” Brzustewicz said. “When I get the opportunity, I can hopefully strike for the team.”

Dryden Hunt on waivers

The Flames placed Dryden Hunt on waivers on Thursday afternoon, which would allow them to re-assign the veteran forward to the Wranglers ahead of Friday’s holiday roster freeze.

Hunt has appeared in two games for the team so far this season while bouncing between the NHL and AHL. He’s recorded five goals and 13 assists in 16 games for the Wranglers.

daustin@postmedia.com

On X: @DannyAustin_9