The Calgary Flames are moving deep into a rebuild, and on the back of an 0-3-0 start to the campaign with a -13 goal differential, it's safe to say that 2026/27 could end up being the worst season in franchise history.
As a result, fans were hoping to see more and more of their young names, but unsurprisingly, early in the year, Head Coach Ryan Huska has put the Flames lines in a blender, and it's resulted in poor, uninspiring play.
The player most effected by Huska and his style in recent years has been Connor Zary, a former first-round pick of the Flames, and now, after two poor games, the team have made a shocking decision on No. 47.
Connor Zary Placed on Waivers by the Flames
After several years of a rocky relationship between Calgary and the 25-year-old, this was coming to a head after he was scratched in Game 2 of the season, and on Monday, it became official: the Flames have placed Zary on waivers.
#Flames have Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal on waivers Monday.
— Pat Steinberg (@SteinbergYYC) October 5, 2026
This is a move that indicates not only have the organization potentially given up on him, but they're willing to lose a 25-year-old with pedigree for free, rather than moving someone like Maxim Tsyplakov, who serves absolutely no purpose with the organization.
If this is the end for Zary, he finishes his Flames career with 39 goals and 87 points in 193 games, and while injuries played a role in his downfall after 34 points in 63 games of his rookie campaign, it's hard to deny that Ryan Huska absolutely destroyed every bit of confidence that Zary had. Time and time again, Zary would make one or two mistakes, and rather than being able to play through that on a rebuilding team, he was scratched, and in the end, it may be the best for both parties to move away from the relationship.
Brayden Pachal Also Waived by the Flames
It wasn't just Zary however, as Brayden Pachal was also placed on waivers by the Flames, and given that neither he nor Joel Hanley should be playing a role on this team, this move makes perfect sense as the Flames hope to keep getting younger.
Zary may be a player that gets picked up, but in Pachal, the Flames have a player that will likely clear waivers, and while he can play a role for another team, he may find himself down in the minor leagues with the Flames after this move.
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