The Calgary Flames are in for a busy off-season, as one of their largest jobs is to re-sign all their pending RFAs. The team has already gotten to work, signing Matt Coronato to a long-term deal three days ago. However, names such as Dustin Wolf, Kevin Bahl and Morgan Frost all will be needing contracts this summer.
Among those names is Connor Zary, who’s expected to be a major part of this Flames’ core for the future. While it makes sense that teams should be looking to sign their young players long-term, Zary could be an exception. The 23-year-old only played 54 games this season due to injury, and while the off-season is a chance for rest and recovery, the Flames shouldn’t be too eager to give the young forward term just yet.
The idea of a bridge deal will scare Flames fans
Yeah, I know. The Flames don’t exactly have the best history with bridge deals. Just look at the Matthew Tkachuk situation as a prime example. He was a young player willing to sign long-term, but was instead given a bridge deal. It therefore left a bad taste in the mouths of Flames fans when he was traded to the Florida Panthers after signing a long-term deal in a sign-and-trade.
Now when it comes to Zary, his situation isn’t comparable to Tkachuk’s at all. Tkachuk was a rising star worthy of long-term money, as his stock rose every season. Meanwhile, Zary has a bit more to prove, as he’s battled some major injuries this season and has gone through some offensive slumps when in the lineup. I’m not saying that Zary isn’t going to be a good player, but he’ll simply need to show more before he gets the term.
Zary’s health is a huge factor for the Flames
Zary was expected to build off his strong rookie season, but his two injuries to his knee obviously threw a wrench in those plans. He missed considerable time and only managed to record 27 points in 54 games.
It’s terrible luck to have, but it’ll unfortunately also play a large factor in the type of contract Zary gets. Knee injuries can be devastating to a player’s long-term health, as many can be career-altering. I’m obviously not wishing this for Zary, but it’s something the Flames have to consider, especially since Zary injured the same knee twice.
Handing out a long-term deal to a player who has already battled serious, career-threatening injuries is a gamble. Zary may be young, but his NHL trajectory is already at risk, and that’s a hard truth the Flames can’t afford to ignore.
Why a bridge deal is the way to go
Given Zary’s health and his production at the NHL level so far, a bridge deal is the way to go here. Referring back to the reasons above, the uncertainty surrounding Zary’s health is a major concern. There are also still questions regarding what Zary truly is at the NHL level. With a player like Coronato for example, it’s clearer that he’s going to be a top-six scoring winger. However with Zary, it’s kind of still up in the air.
By giving Zary a bridge deal, the team won’t be taking any risks in case Zary has more injury troubles or just isn’t the player the franchise thought he could be. There’s no doubt that when Zary is healthy, he’s a talented forward with an abundant amount of skill, but committing long term at this stage wouldn’t be the best move yet.
As for what Zary’s contract may look like, I’m thinking he probably gets around three years with an AAV of around $5-5.5 million. I can’t say where the team stands on Zary, but this seems like the range he would be valued at right now. If he were a full-time centre for the team, his AAV would likely be higher.
Bridge deals may worry Flames fans, but many also trust Craig Conroy and his staff. These deals help assess a player’s true value and gives them a chance to prove why a long-term contract is in their future. Zary’s injury history is concerning, and he hasn’t proven enough offensively for a bigger commitment. While he’d be walking straight to free agency after, it’s up to management to handle that and to be prepared for it properly.
