The Flames need to be consistent with Connor Zary’s development

Many questions surround the Calgary Flames’ roster next season. Will they be looking to add? Subtract? Run it back? Lots of uncertainty is present, but what the Flames need to prioritize is further development of their young players. In particular, one player who’s in for a breakout season is Connor Zary.

Zary solidified himself as an NHL regular during the 2023-24 season, where he instantly made an impact. While it’s clear Zary has talent, questions remain about what his true potential could be. One thing is for sure: if the Flames are looking to get the most out of Zary, they’ll need to be consistent with his development. The last thing this team wants to do is make the same mistakes with Zary as they did with other players in the past, particularly Sam Bennett.

Is Zary a centre or winger? Flames need a plan

When Zary was drafted in 2020, many saw him as a future top-six centre for the Flames. However, since joining the Flames officially, he’s been mostly playing on the wing. Besides, in a handful of games, Zary hasn’t gotten a long look playing down the middle, and this could turn into an issue for his development.

The Flames need a concrete plan on how to utilize Zary in their top-six. Will he be playing centre? Or will he be viewed as more of a winger in the top-six? The point is that clear communication is needed between the player and the coaching staff so the right course of action can be taken.

Zary has been great on the wing so far, but I’d like to see him play more games as a centre. In the games he’s played as a centre, Zary looked pretty good. He seemed to be a much better option down the middle than players like Martin Pospisil and Yegor Sharangovich.

Why Sam Bennett’s tenure with the Flames is relevant to Zary

Bennett will always be a player I believe the Flames badly mishandled. He was their highest draft pick in franchise history, and after leaving Calgary, he went on to win two Stanley Cups and most recently, a Conn Smythe Trophy.

So what does Bennett have anything to do with Zary? During Bennett’s time in Calgary, his development process was a mess. He was drafted as a natural centre, but found himself playing on the wing a bunch, mostly in a bottom-six role too. Now yes, a lot of it was due to him not earning more minutes from his play. But Bennett should’ve been playing in a top-six centre role in Calgary. It’s why when he was traded to Florida, he instantly found success as he was better utilized. He wasn’t explicitly set up for success in Calgary.

I’m not saying how the Flames are currently handling Zary is bad. However, the team’s mistakes with Bennett should be a warning of what not to do with prospects. Zary should be playing as a centre, especially in a top-six role. It’s still unknown if he can be a centre at the NHL level or if he’s more suited for the wing. If they decide to place him down the middle, it shouldn’t be for only 2-3 games, as Zary will need a long look. Hopefully, the new regime in Calgary sees the mistakes the past leadership made with their young players.

What is Zary’s realistic ceiling at the NHL level?

As mentioned, it’s still unknown if Zary can truly be a natural centre for the Flames. If he can, his ceiling suggests he can be an effective second-line centre on an NHL team.

Zary is an RFA this summer and likely will be signed to a bridge contract instead of long-term. It’ll essentially be a “prove it deal” for Zary, but the Flames need to put him in the position to succeed. By giving him top-six minutes in a consistent position, the team would get a better idea of what his potential can truly be. The Flames mustn’t make the same mistake of bouncing a young player up and down the lineup. Confidence is a huge thing for players, especially youth. If Zary is put in a consistent position to succeed and assuming he’s healthy, a breakout season could result.