Flames’ Connor Zary Unlikely to Be Scooped Off Waivers

The Calgary Flames took everybody by surprise on Monday morning when they announced that forward Connor Zary had been placed on waivers. The decision to do so from the organization comes following a putrid start to the season in which they’ve lost all three of their games while being outscored 16-3.

This season was never expected to be pretty for the rebuilding Flames, with the biggest purpose being to give young players an opportunity to establish themselves. Clearly, the 25-year-old Zary doesn’t fit into that description anymore, indicating that regardless of whether or not he’s claimed, he’s no longer considered part of the long-term future.

The reason for surprise regarding his waiver placement is that it wasn’t long ago that Zary was viewed as one of the more promising young players in the game. He was called up to the NHL for the first time in his career early in the 2023-24 season and impressed with 13 goals and 34 points in just 63 contests.

Despite being a well-recognized name, however, Zary appears to have little to no value. The Flames were reportedly seeking a second-round pick in exchange for him this past offseason, and there were seemingly no suitors. That suggests that, despite what some would think, the chances of him getting claimed off waivers are rather slim.

Zary Has Many Things Working Against Him

Since breaking into the NHL during the 2023-24 campaign, Zary has logged 193 games while scoring 39 goals and 87 points. The 2025-26 season in particular proved to be difficult for the 2020 first-round pick, as he managed only 12 goals and 25 points.

Part of the reason for Zary’s struggles has been a lack of opportunity. He has been juggled around the lineup in each of the past two seasons, with the organization trying to decide whether he is better off as a winger or playing down the middle. The constant juggling has made it difficult for Zary to gain any sort of chemistry with his teammates.

Given his draft status and relatively young age, there are some teams around the NHL that would benefit from giving Zary an opportunity. He has both a high skill and compete level, and does still have the potential to become a more impactful top-nine forward. The issue, however, is that many teams who would be willing to give him a shot may not be able to afford him.

Prior to the 2025-26 campaign, the Flames announced that they’d re-signed Zary to a three-year, $11.325 million deal. The contract continues on through the 2027-28 season with a $3.775 million cap hit.

By no means is Zary’s contract horrendous, but it’s more money than teams would like to pay a player who has struggled to find his footing in the NHL. It would be more enticing if it were an expiring contract, but the extra year is what could really scare teams away.

Also not boding well for Zary is that his decline in play over the past two seasons seems to be at least partially injury related. As Flames fans are well aware, he suffered a pair of ugly knee injuries during the 2024-25 campaign and hasn’t looked like the same player since. He was never regarded as the strongest skater to begin with, making those injuries even more concerning for other teams considering taking a chance on him.

Flames Have Clearly Moved On

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Monday’s decision isn’t whether Zary gets claimed, but what it says about how the Flames now view him. Calgary is in the middle of a rebuild and has little reason to move on from a 25-year-old former first-round pick unless those within the organization have serious concerns about his ability to become the player they once envisioned.

That makes this a particularly disappointing development for both Zary and the Flames. Just over two years ago, he looked like someone who could become an important piece of Calgary’s next competitive team. Now, the organization appears willing to simply give him away for nothing.

If Zary clears, the Flames could still retain him and potentially try to find a trade partner down the road. There’s also a chance a change of scenery ultimately allows him to rediscover the form that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. His talent hasn’t suddenly disappeared, and at 25, it’s too early to definitively write him off.