Connor Zary is one of the most interesting players on the Calgary Flames roster, but this summer, it's safe to say that General Manager Craig Conroy and the front office have a massive decision to make on the young forward.
Originally, Zary was a first-round pick of the team in 2020, Zary burst onto the scene in 2023/24, posting 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games played, and given the elite level skillset, the confidence and the positional fit, he immediately became a focal point of the Flames future. Unfortunately, things have only gone downhill since then, as Zary has had devastating injuries in back-to-back seasons, and as a result, the numbers certainly haven't gone the way many in Calgary hoped.
This past season was the most disappointing of Zary's career thus far, as he appeared in just 74 games despite still dealing with an injury, ending the year with just 12 goals and 25 points, but clearly, it's not all his fault. While players like Matvei Gridin and Matt Coronato were (deservingly) put in a position to succeed in the top-six, Head Coach Ryan Huska saw Zary as an afterthought, sliding him up and down the lineup while punishing him for every little mistake that he made.
Obviously, Zary isn't blameless in his struggles either, but under these conditions, it was always going to be hard for him to succeed, so is trading him the right move, or should the Flames look to rehab him and give him a role in the top-six?
According to reports, the team are looking for a second-round pick in return for Zary this off-season, and as of right now, it appears that teams aren't lining up for a 24-year-old who has struggled with injury throughout his young career.
Per @DarrenDreger the Flames are looking to trade Connor Zary with an asking price of a 2nd round pick.
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) June 24, 2026
The 24 year old had 34P in 63GP in the 2023-2024 season, but this year had just 25P in 74GP. pic.twitter.com/WmpybHmSy5
This likely means that he will be coming back in 2026/27 unless the team lower their asking price, and if that is the case, the Flames need to make a clear effort to move players like Ryan Strome, Yegor Sharangovich, Martin Pospisil or others, as Zary needs to be prioritized if he returns. This is a player that could thrive if given the chance, and right now, the Flames haven't been doing that, but if Huska is forced to play Zary in the top-six alongside players such as Mikael Backlund, Joel Farabee or Jonathan Huberdeau, there's a chance he can come back stronger and recoup plenty of his value.
Ultimately, a 24-year-old who has shown high-end skill should be a player the Flames bring back, but to do so, they need to trade other players and prioritize Zary in the top-six, but for now, all signs are pointing towards him being dealt this summer, and if that opens up spots for the likes of Sam Honzek or Aydar Suniev, that could also make some sense in Calgary.
Add us as a preferred source on Google