Connor Zary to the New York Rangers
Connor Zary is one of the biggest disappointments in Calgary over the past few years, and unfortunately, most of that isn't his fault, as he's not only been injured in several freak collisions, but the coaching staff have time and time again failed to put him in positions to succeed on a consistent basis.
Right now, the talent is still clearly there, but hte production hasn't been, and with the Flames hoping to graduate Cole Reschny, Ethan Wyttenbach and Cullen Potter in 2026/27, the writing is on the wall for Zary. That doesn't mean the team should be giving Zary away, as he certainly has the talent to compete, but if Ryan Huska doesn't want to prioritize the 24-year-old, then Craig Conroy should certainly be gauging interest in him.
The following trade proposal would see the New York Rangers take a chance on the former first-round pick, with Zary getting a true opportunity in the top-six, something he should have been afforded in Calgary.
Rangers get: C Connor Zary
Flames get: Second-round pick (the pitch was originally before the draft, but we'll analyze this as if the Flames would be getting a 2027 pick).
In exchange, the Flames would land a second-round pick, and while he should, in theory, be a lot more valuable than that, a second-round pick would be a good return for the Flames, especially after landing Andrew Basha, Theo Stockselius, Chase Harrington and Tobias Trejbal in the second-round of the past three drafts. It's unclear if the Rangers would be willing to give up this much, but if Zary starts 2026/27 hot, there's a chance a team could give up a second-round pick, and if this was the deal, with so much impending talent, it's one the Flames would love.
Grade: B+
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