Connor Zary is rumoured to want out of Calgary.
Calgary is looking to get back a 2nd-round pick and move on from the 24-year-old Saskatoon native.
For Flames fans, this one hurts. Zary was supposed to be a big part of the solution in Calgary going forward.
What happened?
Zary made an impact right away at the NHL level, with an exhilarating season paired alongside Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil. He put up 14 goals and 20 assists in his rookie season.
The following season, Zary suffered two freak knee injuries at the hands of Anaheim’s Drew Helleson and Dallas’s Mikko Rantanen. Zary posted 13 goals and 14 assists in his sophomore season.
In 2025–26, Zary posted a similar 12 goals and 13 assists in 74 games played. It was a pretty lacklustre campaign that saw him ride the 3rd and 4th lines for most of the year.
Although unconfirmed at this time, it’s rumoured Zary is unhappy in Calgary and wants out. And you can’t blame him for wanting to go to greener pastures.
So, what went wrong?
Poor coaching
It seems, to some, that Zary’s time with the Flames has never given him a fair shake.
There’s been a known disconnect between Zary and the Flames coaching staff dating back to last season. Despite being a natural centre, Ryan Huska and staff decided not to have Zary play centre during his tenure in Calgary.
Zary spent a significant portion of time buried on either the 3rd or 4th line while the 2nd line opportunities landed in an aging Mikael Backlund’s lap instead.
For a young team in transition that’s been open to trying new things and giving young talent a shot, it seems management gave Zary the short end of the stick. This is far from sour grapes. It’s just genuinely intriguing as to why they did not allow Zary to play centre on a team that’s been lacking a real number one centre for years.
“Injury prone”
The argument that Zary is injury-prone due to the aforementioned knee injuries he suffered in 24–25 is a little far-fetched.
That said, it is a fair point to say that Zary never really returned to form following the back-to-back freak knee injuries he suffered. His production dropped, his ice time dropped, and now we’re here. But to say Zary can’t stay healthy is simply untrue.
Could this bite Calgary down the road?
This situation brings a lot of déjà vu. The Flames were in this same situation back in 2021 with Sam Bennett.
The comparisons between Zary and Bennett are eerily similar.
Bennett struggled to find his footing in Calgary’s system and was traded to the Florida Panthers in April 2021. The Flames received a 2nd-round pick and the draft rights to Emil Heineman in return. After the trade, Bennett would immediately break out for the Panthers, scoring three goals and two assists in his first three games in Sunrise.
Since then, Bennett has been a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a crucial piece for Florida.
This is the main worry for Flames fans.
Zary has a level of grit to his game that you love to see out of a young player.
There’s a strong chance that Zary can improve the team’s middle-six right away under a new coach and system.
As of recently, Zary has reportedly not generated much trade interest. He likely starts the 2026–27 season with the Flames. This gives Zary time to find his footing in Calgary. Or at least try to look appealing to other teams who may want to give him another crack.
Most of the Flames fanbase will be sad to see him go and be rooting for him wherever he may land.
You must be logged in to post a comment.