Brzustewicz Named 'Teammate Of The Year'

Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz is adding another piece of hardware to his growing collection.

On Thursday, the blueliner was named the OHL's inaugural recipient of the Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award, "presented to the player deemed the best teammate based off selfless play, on and off-ice leadership as a mentor and role model to other players, as well as a commitment and dedication to his team."

Last week, Brzustewicz was honoured by his club, the Kitchener Rangers, with the Jim Malleck Trophy (team MVP), the Bob Schlieman Award (best offensive defenceman), and the Blueline Club Award (for the player best embodying sportsmanship) after putting up 13 goals and 92 points in 67 regular -season games this season. He added a goal and nine points in 10 playoff games.

"First of all, I would like to thank the OHL and the Kitchener Rangers for making this possible," Brzustewicz said in a press release. "I would also like to thank my teammates for making it so easy to come to the rink everyday, to work hard and have fun. All I’ve wanted to do since I’ve been here is give it my all to be the best teammate and player I can be. The coaches gave me the guidance to make all that possible.

"I believe everything happens for a reason. No matter what, always make the best out of the opportunities you get.”

Brzustewicz, 19, was acquired by the Flames in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks that saw Andrei Kuzmenko, Joni Jurmo, and draft picks land in Calgary. He then signed an entry-level deal with the Flames on March 14.

"We are very proud of Hunter and it is a great honour for a member of our organization to be recognized with this award," Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie told the OHL. "He had many moments of adversity throughout the season but was always there for our team and was a steadying presence on and off the ice. He is a very deserving recipient and we couldn’t be happier for him and his family."

From the OHL's announcement:

A 6-foot, 188Ib. right-shot defenceman, Brzustewicz earns the award after persevering through a season where he encountered challenges both on the ice and in life, maintaining a positive, team-first attitude regardless of the circumstances he was faced with. Dealt to the Calgary Flames midseason in a trade that saw the Vancouver Canucks acquire forward Elias Lindholm, Brzustewicz excelled for the Rangers, setting a new single-season franchise mark for defencemen with a league-leading 79 assists. His 92 points tied a 1993-94 mark held by Jason Gladney for points by a Kitchener defenceman. He was recently named to the OHL's second all-star team for the 2023-24 season, and also recognized by the Canadian Hockey League as a second team all-star for his efforts.

Brzustewicz's totals included 13 goals, 79 assists and 92 points over 67 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-31 this past season. His performance earned him the Rangers' Jim Malleck Trophy as the team's most valuable player, the Bob 'Snowy' Schlieman Award as the club's best offensive blueliner and the Blueline Club Award as the player who best embodies sportsmanship and respect for the game. The 19-year-old from Washington, Mich. has appeared in 135 career regular season games for Kitchener since being acquired from the Barrie Colts in January 2022, amassing an impressive 149 points (19-130--149) along the way.

A middle child with two older sisters and two younger brothers, one of whom (Henry) currently plays for the division rival London Knights, Brzustewicz was originally a fourth-round (69th overall) pick by the Barrie Colts in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, and joined the Rangers via trade after parts of three seasons with the U.S. National Development Program. He was a third-round (75th overall) choice by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award was first announced in August 2023 following the retirement of OHL Vice President Ted Baker, who served 35 years with the Ontario Hockey League. The award celebrates the achievements of a player deemed to have demonstrated the same qualities of teamwork, selflessness and dedication demonstrated by Ted throughout his time with the league.

Brzustewicz will be formally presented with the Ted Baker Teammate of the Year Award at the OHL’s Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 12 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.