24-year-old Connor Zary is said to be unhappy with his position in the line-up, and could be looking for a way out of Alberta. Zary’s three seasons in the province have been hampered by injury, and his numbers have been dwindling.
His 86 points in 191 games are seen as a reasonable return for a young player. Like all Flames, he did, however, struggle in 2025–26, scoring just 25 points from 74 games. Those 25 points came from 12 goals and 13 assists, a modest return. This, however, was a downward trend from previous seasons, where he averaged a goal every two games, or better.
It could be argued that his numbers have suffered as the quality of the team has significantly reduced in that time. On the other hand, the argument could be made that he could have stepped up and filled one of those gaps, but didn’t.
This could potentially be down to him often playing out on the wing. Zary has reportedly grown frustrated at not being given a chance at his preferred centre. This wouldn’t be helped by the lack of production from those in that position.
The Current Deal
Zary is less than twelve months into his current $3.775m deal. That contract will run until the summer of 2028, the end of the first season in Scotia Place. This makes him the tenth-highest-paid player for the Flames, at least until Dustin Wolf’s new deal kicks in.
Despite being cap-friendly, one could argue that the return just isn’t there for that salary. Realistically, with the relatively short contract length and a low-risk AAV, a trade appears increasingly likely.
Potential Suitors
Zary was not named in recent reports of players that would be safe from being traded. This, combined with recent reports of his unhappiness in the current set-up, means he’s one of the most likely to be traded.
The Montreal Canadiens have been linked with a trade for Zary in the recent past. Tampa Bay and LA are also in the market for a young, middle-six forward. Any return for Zary would likely be modest, with it likely resulting in a draft pick, rather than any players. A second-round draft pick would be the likely asking price.
What’s ahead for Zary?
Connor Zary’s dwindling numbers could be argued to be due to injury, but his 2025–26 saw more games, yet fewer points, than in previous years.
2026–27 could be make or break for Zary’s career, regardless of whether he remains with the Flames or not. If he again plays a near-full season and fails to break the 30-point barrier again, it could reduce his options going forward.
He wouldn’t be the first young Flame in recent years to struggle to live up to previous hype. Jakob Pelletier was deemed a bright spark for the Flames’ future not so long ago, but now finds himself playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch.
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