The Calgary Flames got a major piece of business done by signing Martin Pospisil to a three-year contract extension this week. The $7.5 million contract seems reasonable, especially when considering how contracts have been gradually increasing in value over the last two seasons.
With Pospisil inked, the Flames now have one major signing on the docket: Connor Zary. Zary is an RFA and heading into dangerous territory. We’re entering August and he’s still not under contract. That situation opens the door for potential issues heading into training camp.
MARTY PARTY 🥳
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 30, 2025
Martin Pospisil has signed a three-year extension with an AAV of $2.5 million! pic.twitter.com/Z7MnJjsNXi
That’s why the Flames could do well and use Pospisil’s contract as a blueprint to re-sign Zary. Both Pospisil and Zary had similar numbers this season. Pospisil scored four goals and totaled 25 points in 81 games.
Meanwhile, Zary scored 13 goals and totaled 27 points in 54 games. Had it not been for that horrific injury, Zary could have played the whole season and registered better numbers than he did. It’s no stretch to think Zary could have topped 20 goals and gotten close to 50 points.
Now, we could argue that Connor Zary has a much higher upside than Pospisil. After all, Zary was a first-round pick. Pospisil was a fourth-rounder and is three years old. So, we can infer that Pospisil has pretty much reached his ceiling.
In contrast, Zary still has much more to go. Given those circumstances, Zary may be unwilling to sign a long-term extension at this point. He might be more inclined to sign a short-term deal, potentially leading him to UFA status in three years.
At that point, Connor Zary can cash in on a long-term extension when the cap is much higher than it is now. That’s why a three-year deal somewhere in the vicinity of $7.5 to $9 million could make sense as a bridge deal.
Yes, both sides would be kicking the can down the road. But doing so would be a calculated bet.
The case for Flames signing Connor Zary to a max-term deal
The Carolina Hurricanes made a stunning move this offseason, signing 21-year-old Jackson Blake to an eight-year deal. Blake has just one full season under his belt. But that didn’t stop the Hurricanes from making a significant bet on Blake’s potential.
But beyond the evident belief that Jackson Blake can become a bona fide star, the Hurricanes wanted to take advantage of the final year of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In 2026-27, the new CBA will kick in, limiting the number of years teams can sign players.
Teams will be able to sign their own free agents for a max term of seven years. Currently, teams can sign players for eight seasons.
That situation is a powerful reason why the Flames should just go ahead and sign Connor Zary to an eight-year deal. The AAV could be lower as compared to a short-term deal. Moreover, both parties can have the peace of mind in knowing that a deal has been done.
Ultimately, the Flames cannot afford to let the clock tick on Connor Zary. They may be able to ink him to a one-year deal just to get him on the ice next season. But failing to lock him up now could prove much more costly down the road.