With Connor Zary landing on the Calgary Flames’ fourth line for the fifth game in a row, fans have begun to question the rationale behind the decision. Ryan Huska told reporters that it isn’t a demotion and he isn’t there permanently. With his ice time at a season low, should there be concern for continued misuse of Zary?
Working back from injury
There could be a logical reason why Huska has chosen to put him on the fourth line. He denied it being a demotion and wants him to move through the lineup when the opportunity presents itself. Is it injury-related, or have the Flames created a bit of a jam for themselves?
Zary suffered a lower-body injury in early January after a knee-on-knee injury against the Anaheim Ducks. He was originally ruled out indefinitely but worked his way back in a little over a month. Zary missed fifteen games and made his return on February 23 against the San Jose Sharks.
It isn’t uncommon for players to return from injury sooner than they should, especially if they’re looking to make a push for the playoffs.
Drop in ice time
Before his injury, Zary was averaging around 15 to 17 minutes a night. That seems like an appropriate amount for the developing player and the assigned responsibilities. Over the last stretch of games, his time on ice has dipped between 13 to 15 minutes. He has not sniffed 17 minutes on ice since January 2.
At this point, 11 games is enough of a sample size to start raising eyebrows. Is it because of the injury? Is there a roster management issue? Does Huska not trust Zary the same way he did?
He may rotate through the lineup, but not having him in a top-six role is a mistake. Zary is part of the organization’s future. Huska should be doing everything in his power to give him the right opportunities to develop him into his full potential.
Sam Bennett parallels
Remember when Sam Bennett was rotating through the lineup? The Flames never committed to trying him down the middle and shooed him to the wing. He eventually grew unhappy with how he was being utilized and wanted out. While the situation is still very new for Zary, there is some concern that history could repeat itself.
Zary was drafted as a centre. Before last season, the last time he had been used as a centre was in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers. He scored 38 goals with the Blazers before making the jump to the AHL.
Zary totaled 38 goals and 100 points in 140 games in the AHL. One thing to keep in mind is the fact that he was drafted in 2020. His early developmental years as a pro hockey player were impacted by the unprecedented pandemic and the restrictions put in place. Time is precious, and there isn’t really more to waste.
Zary has found success at centre and wing. He is a strong shooter and net-front presence the Flames crave. He has 12 goals and 24 points through 48 games this season. There is still room to grow, but limiting him to less time on ice and a line with Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Rooney is doing him a disservice. For an organization lacking depth down the middle, you would think they’d be doing everything possible to encourage success and development.
We are still early enough in this where we could avoid a disaster. The ball is fully in management’s court. Fumbling another stellar forward would be a disaster for the Flames and set their current rebuild back years to come.
Coaching decision
Flames fans are no strangers to questionable coaching decisions. It feels like a rite of passage to experience headscratching, mindblowing, overthought decisions from whoever is behind the bench. Ryan Huska choosing to play a struggling Yegor Sharangovich higher than Zary is one of them. Zary’s ceiling is much higher, and it may be bold to assume he’d be more effective.
Huska has gotten away with decisions that would’ve had people calling for Darryl Sutter’s job. Not every coach is perfect, and you can’t expect the lines to stay consistent. What you should expect is the coach setting his lines to a combination that not only makes sense but offers the best chance for success.
What comes next?
The Flames are in the home stretch of their season with just 18 games left. They’re a hopeful group that’s looking to defy expectations and make the postseason. If they are looking to do what’s best for the lineup, we will see responsibilities shift, and Zary will be back up to his 17 minutes a night in no time.
Photo by Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP
