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The Wranglers’ blueline is a bit lean but they’re working through it
Photo credit: David Moll/Calgary Wranglers
Friends, on paper, the Calgary Wranglers began the season with a pretty balanced defensive group.
The group was anchored by a pair of prospects, lefty Yan Kuznetsov and righty Hunter Brzustewicz. Together, they were a really strong duo. Separately, they could each carry a pairing on their own. When Daniil Miromanov was sent to the Wranglers, suddenly the Wranglers had the ability to roll three pairings that could all hold their own.
But when you take two good AHL blueliners up to the NHL roster without replacing them, suddenly the AHL group is a bit lean and the balancing act of figuring out defensive pairings and how best to deployment becomes tougher.
This past weekend against Tucson was a good example:
- On Friday: Etienne Morin-Nick Cicek, Artem Grushnikov-Daniil Miromanov and Turner Ottenbreit-Jeremie Poirier
- On Sunday: Ottenbreit-Miromanov, Grushnikov-Cicek and Morin-Simon Mack
The balancing act is figuring out which pairings can generate offence and which pairings can be used in defensive situations. The defensive group has gotten lean enough that the Wranglers have been using a five forward first power play unit. (Miromanov and Morin play together on the second unit.)
It takes a bit of experimentation to figure out which pairings work, and so Wranglers bench boss Brett Sutter is shuffling the pairings hoping some configuration snaps into place.
Onto the updates!
Andrew Basha – LW/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (41st overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 174 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 8th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
AHL season to date | 27 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 7.38 |
WHL season to date | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 24.76 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 23 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 24 | 12 | 9 | 73 | 31.22 |
After bouncing around the Wranglers lineup for awhile, Basha was sent back to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. He scored a really nice goal off the rush in his first game back.
Jacob Battaglia – LW/RW, Kingston Frontenacs/Flint Firebirds, OHL
19; Calgary’s second round pick (62nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 7th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 36 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 108 | 19.86 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 68 | 40 | 50 | 90 | 67 | 57 | 45 | 239 | 35.06 |
Battaglia, Kingston’s captain, was traded to Flint for eight draft picks.
Parker Bell – LW/RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s fifth round pick (155th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 192 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 29 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 37 | 4.12 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 61 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 67 | 7.84 |
Bell’s quietly taken a step this season, adding some speed to his game and showing some flashes of strong play.
Hunter Brzustewicz – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Vancouver’s third round pick (75th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Vancouver; 6’0″, 190 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 3rd-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 23 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 20.79 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 70 | 5 | 27 | 32 | 19 | 20 | 13 | 75 | 18.22 |
Brzustewicz is in the NHL.
Nick Cicek – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
25; free agent signing; 6’3″, 201 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 36 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 37 | 13.28 |
2024-25 (DEL) | 50 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 9 | 75 | 9.81 |
The Wranglers are really leaning on Cicek over the last little while to help balance out their defensive pairings. He can play either side and is a really adaptable player stylistically, so his versatility has really helped.
Lucas Ciona – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s sixth round pick (173rd overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 210 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 26 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 6.13 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 68 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 91 | 12.89 |
Ciona has bounced around the lineup a bit this season. He hasn’t generated as much points (or shots) as he did last season.
Matvei Gridin – RW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
19; Calgary’s first round pick (28th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 182 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 4th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 30 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 87 | 33.21 |
2024-25 (QMJHL) | 56 | 36 | 43 | 79 | 58 | 40 | 32 | 236 | 32.85 |
Gridin returned from an injury on Sunday against Tucson.
Artem Grushnikov – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Dallas’ second round pick (48th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; Acquired in a trade with Dallas; 6’1″, 203 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 1.25 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 61 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 43 | 3.27 |
Grushnikov continues to have a very quiet offensive presence for the Wranglers.
Trevor Hoskin – RW, Merrimack College Warriors, NCAA
21; Calgary’s fourth round pick (106th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 175 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 19 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 27 | 32.23 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 36 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 29 | 28 | 23 | 80 | 17.23 |
Hoskin has maintained a point-per-game scoring pace as a sophomore.
Axel Hurtig – D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 202 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 51 | 6.19 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 55 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 66 | 7.20 |
Hurtig, the Hitmen captain, continues to just do his thing. He’s a physical shutdown defender.
Eric Jamieson – D, University of Denver Pioneers, NCAA
20; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 200 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 21 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 43 | 22.28 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 66 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 | 27 | 19 | 175 | 13.51 |
Jamieson has been a pretty steady offensive contributor with Denver this season.
Rory Kerins – C, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s sixth round pick (174th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 15th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 63 | 39.85 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 63 | 33 | 28 | 61 | 52 | 40 | 35 | 135 | 38.59 |
Kerins just had a 10-game point streak halted, but he’s quietly one of the better offensive contributors in the AHL.
Carter King – C/LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; free agent signing; 5’11”, 190 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 32 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 6.23 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 44 | 21 | 22 | 43 | 31 | 16 | 14 | 116 | 35.18 |
King has bounced between centre and the wing and played on pretty much every forward line.
Hunter Laing – C/RW, Saskatoon Blades, WHL
19; Calgary’s sixth round pick (170th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’5″, 205 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 35 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 27 | 18 | 16 | 85 | 24.76 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 64 | 25 | 23 | 48 | 40 | 35 | 29 | 153 | 18.57 |
Laing has maintained his point-per-game scoring pace this season.
Aidan Lane – LW/RW, Harvard University Crimson, NCAA
18; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 192 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 13 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 35 | 10.60 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 13 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 36 | 26.49 |
Lane registered no points this past weekend.
Jakob Leander – D, HV71, U20 Nationell
18; Calgary’s seventh round pick (208th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 196 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 22 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 4.47 |
2024-25 (J20) | 39 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 2.52 |
HV71 is off until Jan. 10.
Jaden Lipinski – C, University of Maine Black Bears, NCAA
20; Calgary’s fourth round pick (112th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’4″, 204 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 19 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 28 | 13.57 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 59 | 17 | 41 | 58 | 45 | 30 | 27 | 134 | 24.34 |
Lipinski registered no points this past weekend.
Cade Littler – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA
21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (219th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 197 pounds; shoots right
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 18.00 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 33 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 9.82 |
Littler registered an assist over the weekend.
Yan Matveiko – C, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL
19; Calgary’s seventh round pick (211th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 150 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 29 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 17 | 22 | 13 | 46 | 11.32 |
2024-25 (MHL) | 42 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 68 | 6.70 |
Matveiko has been activated from Krasnaya Armiya’s injury list, so he should be returning to action soon.
Luke Misa – LW/C, Penn State University Nittany Lions, NCAA
19; Calgary’s fifth round pick (150th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 170 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 13th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 18 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 6.07 |
2024-25 (OHL) | 67 | 34 | 51 | 85 | 58 | 63 | 43 | 211 | 33.60 |
Misa had an assist over the weekend.
Etienne Morin – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL/Rapid City Rush, ECHL
20; Calgary’s second round pick (48th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft; 6’0″, 180 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 10th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
AHL season to date | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 4.43 |
ECHL season to date | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 13.12 |
2024-25 (QMJHL) | 62 | 14 | 44 | 58 | 29 | 40 | 24 | 222 | 21.79 |
Morin has been getting a run of games lately and he seems to be settling into a nice rhythm in the AHL.
Mace’o Phillips – D, Green Bay Gamblers, USHL
18; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’6″, 228 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 21 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 43 | 4.37 |
2024-25 (USHL) | 25 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 2.76 |
Phillips was suspended three games for a late fight against Des Moines in which he was deemed the aggressor.
Jeremie Poirier – D, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
23; Calgary’s third round pick (72nd overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’1″, 196 pounds; shoots left
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 28 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 44 | 8.54 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 71 | 5 | 37 | 42 | 23 | 26 | 15 | 132 | 23.57 |
Poirier has been primarily on the Wranglers’ third pairing (and occasionally been a scratch).
Cullen Potter – C, Arizona State University Sun Devils, NCAA
18; Calgary’s first round pick (32nd overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 172 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 5th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 22 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 23 | 13 | 12 | 70 | 42.54 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 35 | 13 | 9 | 22 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 118 | 22.63 |
Potter has been on a hot streak offensively lately and he’s crept into the upper echelon of NCAA scoring.
Cole Reschny – C, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks, NCAA / Canada National Junior Team, WJC
18; Calgary’s first round pick (18th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’11”, 183 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 2nd-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 16 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 31 | 40.50 |
2024-25 (WHL) | 62 | 26 | 66 | 92 | 70 | 48 | 46 | 213 | 36.75 |
Reschny won a bronze medal at the World Juniors.
Theo Stockselius – C, Djurgårdens IF, U20 Nationell/SHL
18; Calgary’s second round pick (54th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 181 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 12th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
U20 season to date | 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 21.09 |
SHL season to date | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
2024-25 (J20) | 40 | 22 | 29 | 51 | 38 | 35 | 29 | 93 | 20.91 |
Djurgardens is off until Jan. 10. Stockselius has been out since mid-October with a skate cut.
William Strömgren – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
22; Calgary’s second round pick (45th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 175 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 16th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 33 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 20 | 19 | 13 | 35 | 35.02 |
2024-25 (AHL) | 70 | 14 | 35 | 49 | 35 | 26 | 20 | 107 | 27.90 |
Strömgren was just called up to the NHL in the midst of an offensive hot streak.
Aydar Suniev – LW, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
20; Calgary’s third round pick (80th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’2″, 198 pounds; shoots left; FN’s 9th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 25 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 14.35 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 35 | 20 | 18 | 38 | 31 | 21 | 17 | 119 | 34.99 |
Suniev is working his way back from his injury.
Ethan Wyttenbach – RW, Quinnipiac University Bobcats, NCAA
18; Calgary’s fifth round pick (144th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft; 5’10”, 180 pounds; shoots right; FN’s 20th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | G | A | P | P1 | 5v5 P | 5v5 P1 | SH | NHLe | |
Season to date | 20 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 23 | 15 | 14 | 43 | 31.00 |
2024-25 (USHL) | 44 | 24 | 27 | 51 | 42 | 38 | 30 | 127 | 26.61 |
Wyttenbach remains among the top scorers in the NCAA. As a freshman.
Daniil Chechelev – G, Olympia Kirovo-Chepetsk, VHL
24; Calgary’s fourth round pick (96th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 201 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 5 | 304 | .922 |
2024-25 (VHL) | 11 | 399 | .888 |
Chechelev joined a VHL team, Olympia Kirovo-Chepetsk, back in November. He seems to be getting regular games there, so we’ll start including him in our rundowns again. Fun fact: former Flames netminder Andrei Trefilov played for the same team early in his career.
Owen Say – G, Calgary Wranglers, AHL
24; free agent signing; 6’2″, 185 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 18 | 938 | .891 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 27 | 1531 | .920 |
Say is alternating starts with Sergeev. He’s registered one win in his last three starts.
Arsenii Sergeev – G, Rapid City Rush, ECHL / Calgary Wranglers, AHL
21; Calgary’s seventh round pick (205th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 192 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
AHL season to date | 4 | 246 | .916 |
ECHL season to date | 12 | 714 | .922 |
2024-25 (NCAA) | 33 | 1982 | .919 |
Sergeev is alternating starts with Say. He’s faced a ton of shots since being called up from the ECHL.
Yegor Yegorov – G, MHK Spartak-MAX, MHL
20; Calgary’s sixth round pick (176th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 183 pounds
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 18 | 1070 | .921 |
2024-25 (MHL) | 20 | 1032 | .904 |
Yegorov made 31 saves in a loss this week.
Kirill Zarubin – G, AKM Tula, MHL
20; Calgary’s third round pick (84th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft; 6’3″, 178 pounds; FN’s 18th-ranked prospect 2025
GP | TOI | SV% | |
Season to date | 27 | 1546 | .931 |
2024-25 (MHL) | 21 | 1157 | .935 |
Zarubin made 27 saves in a win just after Christmas, but was pulled after 17:51 (and three goals against) on Jan. 6.
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