The Calgary Flames have recalled a pair of left-handed defencemen from the American Hockey League’s Calgary Wranglers as they near their return from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Coming up: Ilya Solovyov and Yan Kuznetsov, a pair of defensive-minded types whom the Flames selected in the 2020 NHL Draft. With those two now in the fold, the Flames currently have 10 defencemen on their NHL roster (including the injured Kevin Bahl).

Solovyov appeared in the Flames’ final game before the break, skating in 19:24 of the team’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on February 8. Kuznetsov has only appeared in one previous NHL game during his career to date.

Kuznetsov, 22, was the first of four defencemen the Flames drafted in 2020 (Round 2, No. 50 overall). The Murmansk, Russia product stands in at 6’5″ and 220 pounds and has spent parts of the last five seasons with the Wranglers and Stockton Heat, including the last three as a regular.

In 49 games with the Wranglers this season, Kuznetsov has racked up three goals and 14 points to go along with a team-leading plus-22 rating. He made his NHL debut with the Flames against the Ottawa Senators back on Jan. 9, 2024.

Solovyov, 24, was the Flames’ final draft pick in 2020, being taken in the seventh round with the No. 205 overall pick. The Mogilev, Belarus product spent his first post-draft season with KHL club Dinamo Minsk before making the jump to North America in 2021, almost immediately establishing himself as one of the organization’s steadiest AHL defenders.

The 6’3″, 210-pound Solovyov has appeared in 11 NHL games with the Flames over the past two seasons, collecting three assists. He also has six goals and 21 points in 43 games with the Wranglers this season and is also a +16, ranking second behind only Kuznetsov in that category.

The Flames are currently at a 20-player active roster (22 after the call-ups), so they have ample roster space. This call-up could be a short-term reward for a couple good AHL performers before they head back to the minors for a California road swing. It remains to be seen whether the Flames will make any corresponding moves later on Wednesday to accommodate the arrivals of Kuznetsov and Solovyov.

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