After being eliminated from playoff contention during their game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, the Calgary Flames have recalled defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and centre Sam Morton from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

Brzustewicz and Morton are now both primed to make their NHL debuts in the Flames’ 2024-25 season finale against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. Recent Flames draft picks Zayne Parekh and Aydar Suniev are also projected to suit up in Calgary colours for the first time in Game 82.

The Flames enter Thursday’s game against the Kings with a 40-27-14 record and 94 points through 81 games this season. They are guaranteed to finish ninth in the Western Conference and fourth in the Pacific Divsion regardless of Thursday’s outcome.

Brzustewicz, 20, has five goals and 31 points in 69 games with the Wranglers during his first professional season. The Washington, MI product established himself as a top junior defenceman with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers during the 2023-24 season, collecting 13 goals and 92 points in 67 games.

The Vancouver Canucks originally selected Brzustewicz in the third round (No. 75 overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft. The 6’0″, 195-pound righty signed his entry-level deal with the Flames in March 2024 after being acquired from the Canucks in the Elias Lindholm trade.

Morton, 25, is also currently in his first full professional season. The Lafayette, CO product signed with the Flames as an undrafted free agent in March 2024 upon the conclusion of his final NCAA season at Minnesota State University – Mankato, where he collected 24 goals and 34 points in 37 games as a graduate student.

Through 69 games with the 2024-25 Wranglers, Morton has 20 goals, 45 points, and 159 shots. The 6’0″, 190-pound lefty is a natural centre who was named the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s player of the year and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2024.

Don’t be surprised to see all four of Brzustewicz, Morton, Parekh, and Suniev in the lineup tomorrow night when the Flames take on the Kings at Crypto.com Arena, with opening face-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT. Thursday’s game was originally slated to take place on January 8 but was postponed due to the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County.

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