The Calgary Flames organization is evolving fast. Calgary’s blue line is nearly unrecognizable from what it was just a couple of years ago. the Flames moved out MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson. They brought in new veterans in Olli Maatta and Zach Whitecloud. Then a fresh wave of prospects also got their feet wet at the NHL level.

Then there was Brayden Pachal.

The Estevan, Sask., native entered his third season with the Flames after being claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights a couple of years ago. Beyond winning a Stanley Cup ring with Vegas in 2023, Pachal has not experienced much success at the NHL level.

Most of his NHL experience has come with the Flames. Although his playing time has been inconsistent, Pachal’s style of play is respectable and valuable to a team. Calgary has wanted to give him opportunities to cement himself into its long-term plans, but those plans do not appear to be unfolding as hoped.

During the 2024-25 season, Pachal established himself as a solid third-pairing defenceman who handled difficult minutes at even strength and on the penalty kill. In 76 games, he averaged the least ice time per game among Flames defencemen, but his simple and reliable style of play was still enough to earn him a role on the team and a two-year contract extension.

Entering this season, Pachal had already answered the question of whether he could be an everyday NHL player. The bigger question became whether there was more to his game that had yet to emerge.

It looked as though Pachal had a head start on many of Calgary’s defensive prospects. Aside from Zayne Parekh, most appeared to be at least another season away from NHL action. With that advantage, the expectation for Pachal this season was to show what else he could bring. Could he provide more offence? Could he play on his off side? Could he stay out of the penalty box?

It definitely did not turn out to be the season Pachal was hoping for. He played only 39 games, recording one goal and six assists for seven points.

Most of his playing time came early in the season. With Zayne Parekh sidelined by injury at the beginning of the year, there was an opening on the third pairing. Pachal dressed in 14 of 15 games in November, though not much stood out about his play. Beyond that stretch, he was often limited to one or maybe two games per week. Without consistent playing time, it is fair to wonder whether he truly received the opportunity many expected.

Even with limited ice time, Pachal played his brand of hockey. He made simple plays and brought a physical element whenever needed — including the occasional fight. The issue that plagued him, much like the previous season, was staying out of the penalty box. He led the Flames with 88 penalty minutes a year ago. This season, despite appearing in only 39 games, he still finished seventh on the team with 47 penalty minutes.

Considering the amount of turnover Calgary’s blue line experienced — especially in a season where the team was not expected to make the playoffs — it feels like a missed opportunity not to give Pachal more playing time. It was encouraging to see Yan Kuznetsov and Hunter Brzustewicz receive meaningful minutes, but 34-year old Joel Hanley still appeared in 68 games. It feels reasonable to think Pachal could have received at least some of those opportunities rather than spending as much time in the press box as he did.

Looking ahead to next season, Pachal appears destined to battle for playing time once again. The Flames already seem to have locks on the blue line in Zach Whitecloud, Kevin Bahl and Zayne Parekh. Beyond that, Olli Maatta, Yan Kuznetsov, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joel Hanley and potentially an incoming draft pick all appear to sit ahead of Pachal on the organizational depth chart.

If an opportunity does not open up, there is a good chance the Flames move on from Pachal. Other teams could certainly find value in his services on the back end if needed. Teams always hope their players develop into long-term pieces, but sometimes the opportunity passes and an organization has to move forward.