'Give Them A Good Show'

DETROIT — There’s no place like home.

And for a guy who lived and breathed Detroit sports growing up, a first visit back as an NHL defenceman is pretty cool, too.

Hunter Brzustewicz hails from the Detroit suburb of Washington Township, and tonight at Little Caesars Arena, he figures to have between 30 to 40 friends and family on hand when his Flames wrap their five-game road trip against the Red Wings.

“I got to go home last night, have some dinner with family,” a beaming Brzustewicz said following Monday’s morning skate. “I’m excited. It was nice.”

The 21-year-old grew up watching the Red Wings in the old Joe Louis Arena. And he’s taken the odd twirl on the team’s practice ice, but Monday’s morning skate was his first opportunity to take his first strides on the big sheet.

“I haven't done it yet,” Brzustewicz said when asked if tonight’s game brings with it a chance to reflect on his hockey journey. “Walking in is pretty cool, and I don't think I've wiped the smile off my face so far.”

Brzustewicz projects to play tonight on a pairing with veteran Olli Määttä, who - coincidentally - used to call Little Caesars Arena home for a pair of seasons between 2022 and 2024.

The veteran Finn figures tonight will offer Brzustewicz plenty of hometown memories, but as for what to do come puck drop?

“Just enjoy it. Go and play,” said Määttä. “He’s gonna have family and a lot of friends watching, and it's his hometown.” 

“Give them a good show and enjoy it.”

Brzustewicz isn’t the only young Calgary defenceman with Michigan ties, either. Rookie Zayne Parekh played his OHL hockey, winning a Memorial Cup just up the road in Saginaw, and his old team - the Spirit - are likely to be in the building tonight, too.

But Brzustewicz isn’t making too much of that aspect of tonight’s game.

Along with Parekh, he’s just ready to use that extra energy to his advantage.

“Obviously, you’ve got to play controlled, but I think we're just two excited kids trying to play hockey at the same time,” he said. 

“We just want to play hockey, that’s it.”