A former BCHL standout who led the Penticton Vees to a second consecutive Fred Page Cup title in 2023 has signed his first NHL contract.

Aydar Suniev inked a three-year, entry-level deal with the Calgary Flames, the NHL club announced on April 2. The contract carries an average annual value of $923,333.

A native of Kazan, Russia, the 20-year-old spent 2024-25 with the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the NCAA, where he posted 38 points in 25 games and finished second in team scoring.

Suniev was selected in the third round (80th overall) by the Flames in the 2023 NHL draft after spending parts of two seasons with the Vees.

The 6'2", 215-pound winger amassed 110 points in 67 career regular-season contests in the BCHL.

He scored 45 goals with Penticton in 2022-23, tied for the league-high with his Vees teammate and current Carolina Hurricanes prospect Bradly Nadeau.