Flames get it right with Connor Zary signing

The Calgary Flames made a splash on Friday by inking RFA forward Connor Zary to a three-year, $11.325 million contract. The deal, as reported by PuckPedia, ended the offseason saga that surrounded Zary and the Flames.

The signing mirrors the deal the Minnesota Wild and their top RFA, Marco Rossi, agreed on August 22. While Rossi signed for a higher cap hit, the two sides agreed on a three-year bridge deal.

That term seems to be the best fit for both sides. The rising cap likely has put players’ agents in a position where they won’t negotiate long-term deals. Instead, agents are looking for short-term pacts that could allow their clients, in this case Connor Zary, to capitalize on a much higher cap ceiling down the road.

Zary, like Rossi, will be betting on themselves. While Zary will still be an RFA by the time this deal expires, he could leverage two or three productive seasons into an even more lucrative deal.

For the Flames, it’s a bit of a gamble. If Zary morphs into a 70-plus-point player, he could price himself out of Calgary. The Flames may have to pony up to keep him in the fold. Of course, that would be a good problem to have.

Otherwise, the Flames don’t risk losing much if Zary doesn’t become the player they hope he can be.

Flames buy time with Zary contract

One of the biggest issues befalling the Flames is their relatively complicated cap situation. The biggest anchor weighing the club down is Jonathan Huberdeau’s current $10.5 million cap hit. That hit, fortunately, doesn’t look quite as bad now, given the rising cap.

However, the Flames will likely have Huberdeau on the books until his contract runs out in 2031. So, having cap space now is crucial as the Flames likely view themselves as playoff contenders this season. That means the club will need every dollar it can spend to add more pieces throughout the season.

Amid the possibility of some clubs potentially holding fire sales this season, having plenty of cap space will allow the Flames to go shopping if and when said fire sales take place.

Ultimately, Zary’s cap hit will buy the Flames enough time to add key pieces without strangling themselves in a tight cap situation. Assuming that Huberdeau’s contract remains immovable and Nazem Kadri doesn’t go anywhere, the Flames could maximize their cap space in hopes of squeaking into the playoffs this season.