The Calgary Flames have a lot of offensive-minded, puck-moving defenders in their system. But when you’re hoping to let a puck-mover loose on the ice, you usually need a defensive-minded partner to compliment them.

And so while the Flames are in the process of developing the likes of Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz and Henry Mews, they’re also accumulating a few players they hope can help bring out the best in them.

One of the most interesting defenders they have in their system is right in their own backyard: Calgary Hitmen captain Axel Hurtig.

A product of Hogas, Sweden, Hurtig is a left shot defender listed at 6’4″ and 217 pounds. The Flames drafted him in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft, in large part on the basis of the second half of his 2022-23 season, where he played his way onto the Swedish national under-18 team and won a silver medal at the Under-18 Worlds. He did all that with a shoulder that ended up requiring surgery.

Despite being drafted by the Hitmen in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, Hurtig stayed in Sweden for the 2023-24 season, with the Flames hoping his recovery from surgery would be easier in a familiar setting. He ended up having a rock-solid season, playing primarily in Sweden’s top junior league but also getting short stints in Sweden’s first-tier men’s league (the SHL) and their third-tier men’s league (HockeyEttan).

Hurtig opted to join the Hitmen for 2024-25 as a 19-year-old. He settled in really quickly and adapted his game to the smaller North American ice. He pretty quickly and quietly became a favourite of the Hitmen coaching staff, because when he was on the ice, the puck tended to stay out of their zone. He ended his rookie year with 16 points and a plus-39 plus/minus, tying him for 12th in the entire league and second among all WHL rookies. He also represented Sweden at the World Juniors.

Hurtig turned 20 during the off-season and impressed in Flames prospect camp in the fall, but ended up returning to the Hitmen as a two-spotter – he took up an over-age spot as a 20-year-old and an import spot. With a lot of turnover on the Hitmen roster due to the new NCAA regulations, Hurtig was really valued early on for providing continuity and leadership on the team, to the point where he was named the team’s captain a month into the season.

So far in 2025-26, Hurtig has continued to do what he does. His offensive output has had a modest uptick – going from 0.291 points-per-game to 0.304. In his own end, he remains a stout, physical defender who seems to relish getting involved in the rough stuff. He’s well-known in the Dub for his crushing body checks and he’s dropped the gloves four times already, but otherwise avoids getting into penalty trouble. As a result, Hurtig can be leaned on to play a lot, play well, and generally provide the Hitmen with a really effective presence.

If we’re being honest, Hurtig’s physically mature enough that he probably could’ve played with the Wranglers this season and not looked out of place. But it seems like he’s used this year to continue his personal growth on and off the ice, and it seems likely that he’ll throw on a Wranglers jersey in 2026-27 as a more well-rounded blueliner.

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