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Connor Zary, Calgary Flames (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Flames’ Zary Facing Pressure Heading into Third NHL Season

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 3:00 PM ET

One of the most interesting players to monitor this coming season for the Calgary Flames is Connor Zary. While there were concerns over his contract situation given that he remained unsigned through August, he and the Flames were recently able to agree on a three-year bridge deal that will see him command $3.775 million per season.

Getting the deal done when the two sides did is huge, as it gives Zary the chance to suit up for training camp and preseason games to get his reps in for what will be his third NHL season. That said, while he had plenty of buzz and excitement surrounding him a season ago, he’s in a different spot this time around, with many questioning what type of player he can be at the NHL level going forward.

Zary Has Yet to Take Big Step

Zary’s professional career to this point has been an interesting one to follow. There was plenty of excitement surrounding him heading into his first American Hockey League season after having been selected 24th overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. That rookie season with the Stockton Heat, however, didn’t go as planned.

Zary finished that 2021-22 season with an underwhelming 13 goals and 25 points in 53 games. The totals weren’t anything to panic over given that he was still very young, but it was clear a big step forward was needed to ensure he remained one of the organization’s top prospects. He was able to do just that, putting up 21 goals and 58 points in 72 outings with the Calgary Wranglers in 2022-23.

The now 23-year-old began the 2023-24 campaign with the Wranglers, but was called up early and wound up logging 63 games with the Flames. He quickly became an impactful player, recording 14 goals and 34 points while also impressing defensively for a player of his age. It looked like the Flames had a big-time player on their hands, and fans couldn’t wait to see the jump he would make heading into 2024-25.

Unfortunately for Zary, that jump never came, as he managed just 13 goals and 27 points. The lack of production was in large part due to two separate knee injuries, which limited him to just 54 games. He wasn’t the same player upon his return from either injury, as the lengthy time out of the lineup resulted in him being quite out of sync. All of a sudden, a player who appeared destined for a long-term contract was facing several question marks, and wound up taking a three-year deal.

The reason the Flames didn’t want to go long term with Zary is that, despite some flashes, it’s still unclear as to what type of player he will be in the NHL. He was drafted as a centre, but has been used more often on the wing thus far in his career. Not only is his position unclear moving forward, but the lack of growth from his first to second season offensively also has some questioning whether he can be counted on as an every day top-six player moving forward.

Zary Still Has Plenty of Upside

Though there are still question marks over Zary’s future as an NHLer, everybody is still well aware that he has room to grow. He’s still quite young and has displayed a high skill level through the first 117 games of his NHL career. it’s also clear that he is an everyday player, one that can be a part of a winning lineup. That said, whether he is a player who can be counted on as a potential game-breaker, or is better suited in a bottom-six role, is still up for debate. That question may have some more clarity based on what we see from him this coming season.