The Calgary Flames came into the 2026 off-season ready to make some massive moves, and already Craig Conroy and the front office have shocked fans with the acquisition of Simon Nemec on Tuesday. Beyond that, the team still have picks No. 6, 30, 36, 51 and 55 in the first two rounds of the 2026 NHL Draft, meaning that there will be plenty more new faces joining the organization over the next few days.
One name that's been mentioned as a trade candidate since the end of the 2025/26 season has been Connor Zary, who has shown flashes in his career with the Flames, but thus far, he's struggled to take the next step forward in his career. Now, the team are actively trying to move him according to Darren Dreger, who reports that the Flames are seeking a second-round pick in exchange for the former first-round draft pick.
The Flames are trying to move Connor Zary. 24 year old forward has another year left on his contract at $3.775 mil. Sounds like Calgary is asking for a 2nd round pick in return.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) June 24, 2026
Unfortunately for Zary, the knee injury he suffered in early 2025 changed him as a player, and with the lack of finishing beyond his flashy plays, he simply never blossomed into the top-six player the Flames saw early in his career. Despite this, he's got great size and has shown that he could potentially be a 50-60 point player in the NHL, and for rival teams looking for young forwards of the future, a second-round pick may be an acceptable cost to acquire Zary.
Clearly this is a deal that the Flames would like to get done ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft, with the first round beginning on Friday, and while that may not happen, all signs now point to him being moved at some point during the summer.
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