Craig Conroy has a few hours to fill on a late summer afternoon in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia at the beginning of this story.
Conroy, then an assistant general manager for
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He could have tried sneaking in a round with a set of rental clubs, gone for a swim in the lake, or had lunch on a sun-drenched patio in between his Saturday night game and morning skate.
A pre-season matinee featuring the Junior-A Penticton Vees was taking place. Thus, driven by his scouting responsibilities, Conroy meandered back towards the rink.
That was his first look at the rangy left-winger with rifle-like shooting, Aydar Suniev.
Conroy remembered, “I’d never seen him, I’d never heard of him before, but he really caught my eye.” You’re thinking, ‘Oh, who’s this guy?’ right away.
One of Calgary’s more intriguing forward prospects right now is that guy.
Yegor Sharangovich and Tyler Toffoli, who swapped teams during draft week, have drawn a lot of attention as the Flames prepare to play the Devils in New Jersey on Thursday.
Not to be overlooked, though, is 19-year-old Suniev, who was chosen with the third-round pick Conroy received in exchange for that package.
Flames director of player development Ray Edwards stated, “As I’ve written in my reports to senior management as we go through this development process, there is a lot to like about this kid.”
Suniev is presently a freshman with the NCAA’s UMass Minutemen. Last season, he scored 90 points in 50 games to rank third in the BCHL scoring race. One of the top graduates from that esteemed school is Cale Makar.
Greg Carvel, head coach of the Minutemen, said of Suniev, “I don’t know if I’ve met a kid — and if I have, it’s not many — more committed than he is to do whatever it takes to get to the NHL.” It simply never stops. He makes the decisions on what to eat. It’s the additional time he plays hockey. The reason is that he spends more time at the rink.
“He simply has a strong commitment to playing in the NHL. It’s very remarkable.
Though it will probably take a few years for Suniev to be prepared to contend for an NHL position, there are many reasons to be hopeful that he can contribute to the Flames in the future.
He is “very mature” and “very intelligent,” according to Edwards, and his commitment and perseverance have been apparent from an early age. He emigrated from Russia to North America at the age of 14, having barely learned how to speak English at that point. His goal was to play hockey.
He can really rip it and has a ton of attacking tools, including instincts, vision, and a willingness to attack the net, which will make him especially dangerous as he tries to improve his skating. On draft day, Postmedia was informed by veteran Vees coach Fred Harbinson that this developing left-hander “would have a high-end shot on an NHL team right now.”
Suniev is learning the ins and outs of defense at UMass, where as a freshman he has already made 23 games, produced eight goals, and nine assists. In mid-December, he was recognized as the Hockey East rookie of the week. In a previous interview this season, he stated: “I would say that I know how to play with the puck, but right now, my biggest focus should be on playing without the puck.” Establishing those habits now will undoubtedly help me improve at the next level.
Carvel stated, “He’s been an offensive threat for us from early on.” He participates in the initial power play. He’s ready to take on rivals. All he needs to do is improve his puck-moving skills; that’s nothing unexpected. He is highly coachable and continues to progress. He desires coaching. In order to get to the NHL, he wants to know everything.
He hasn’t really had to check previously, and learning how to do that takes some time. However, those are the necessary qualities, and he possesses all three—size, willingness, and game reading skills. He requires repetition. He must play games. All he needs is time. He is in the proper place for his developmental stage.
The Saddledome’s brass is eager to see where that route takes them.
Sharangovich has fit in well with the Flames; on Thursday, he made his way back to Prudential Center in New Jersey, where he tied for the club lead with 20 goals. If Suniev can successfully make the transition from prospect to primetime, this deal with the Devils will appear even more favorable.
Given his current trajectory, it’s fortunate that Conroy visited the rink that sunny September 2022 afternoon in order to check out the Vees, a highly skilled team that would only drop a few games during the season.
Suniev “just really stood out,” and Conroy recalled thinking, “I’m going to need to get to Penticton a few times to see this guy.” Conroy and Flames director of amateur scouting Tod Button later traveled together for the visit. I therefore returned to meet him at several times over the year. It’s incredible how their team performed; whether though they were winning 8-1 or losing, they always played with the same composure. Additionally, Aydar
