>With the length of training camp and the number of pre-season games cut down, it really limits the time a player has to make an impression on his coaches. You really have to take advantage of your opportunities, and that is exactly what Aydar Suniev has done.

So far, Suniev has played just two games: one prospect game and one pre-season game. The Flames have only scored three goals between the two games, and Suniev happens to have all three of them.

“I was working on my shot all summer and I’m glad it’s paying off,” said Suniev, following a 4-2 loss to open the Flames’ pre-season schedule at the Dome (via Flames TV).

The left winger played in his first full pro season last year, suiting up in 57 games for the Calgary Wranglers. He put up 16 goals and 24 points in that span. Then, at the end of the year, he got a good taste of NHL action, playing in six games for the Flames, recording just one assist.

Clearly, having that taste of the NHL has made him want more. Suniev has put in the work and made a very good impression in a very short amount of time. The Flames need goals — that is no secret. Anyone who can put the puck in the back of the net can have a job on this team. Suniev will continue to get a good look this pre-season, but is it enough time to put together a case to start the season in the NHL?

Flames head coach Ryan Huska has continually claimed that jobs are up for grabs this pre-season. Not having Jonathan Huberdeau to start the year opens up a spot, but are there really more spots available on a team loaded with wingers?

Currently lining up on the left wing, the Flames have Matvei Gridin, Sam Honzek and Connor Zary poised to round out the top three lines. The fourth-line spot could still be up for grabs, but that’s not a place where you want a young player like Suniev playing. If that’s the spot that’s open, then it’s a similar position to what Hunter Brustewicz is in. You don’t want that young player playing minimal five-on-five minutes in the NHL when they could be playing a ton of minutes in all situations in the AHL.

Sam Honzek is probably the wildcard here. He’s made the team the last two years out of camp, has played well, but then the injury bug bites him and he misses a lot of time. He was probably the Flames’ best player in the pre-season game against Seattle, and he will be given the chance to play some big minutes. The question is, can he stay healthy?

Connor Zary also hasn’t quite found his stride with the Flames. Like Honzek, injuries cost him time last season, and his play when he returned reflected that. It sounds like he came into camp healthy, so we’ll see how he looks in the pre-season, but the Flames probably intend on playing him on the third line to start the year.

So while a job may be up for grabs, it just doesn’t seem like the right jobs that fit Suniev’s skill set are the ones for the taking. Maybe with a longer pre-season, he’d have more time to build that argument, but with three pre-season games remaining, that’s a tough hill to climb.

Now, you still can’t count him out. If he finds the back of the net a few more times, he could force management to make some tough decisions. If Suniev does start the year with the Wranglers, hopefully he can go dominate for a bit. It’s likely going to be a long season in Calgary, and with injuries and struggles, there will be opportunities. For Suniev, it’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when we’ll see him in a Flames uniform.