We’ve seen a flurry of trade activity across the hockey world this week, including a blockbuster featuring the Calgary Flames. Now, per TSN’s Darren Dreger, it appears that the Flames are seeking a new home for one of their recent first-round selections

On Wednesday afternoon, Dreger reported on social media that the Flames are “trying to move” forward Connor Zary.

Here’s Dreger:

A product of the Western Hockey League’s Kamloops Blazers, Zary was the Flames’ first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. His tenure with the Flames organization, thus far, has been defined in equal parts by flashes of brilliance and ill-timed injuries, both of which have contributed to him lacking a consistent role on the hockey club.

The 2024-25 season is probably the best example of this. Zary began the season bouncing around the lineup, but he eventually found a rhythm and was playing quite well. Then he suffered a scary-looking knee injury on Jan. 7 against Anaheim from a collision with Drew Helleson that thankfully didn’t require surgery, but kept him out of the lineup until late February. He wasn’t quite the same when he returned to action, but he again found his rhythm… and again suffered a scary-looking injury, coming on Mar. 27 against Dallas that saw him get tied up with Mikko Rantanen and fall awkwardly, resulting in another knee injury. (Again, thankfully, the injury didn’t require surgery.)

Through 191 NHL games, all with the Flames, Zary has 39 goals and 86 points. He has one year remaining on his current deal, carrying a $3.775 million cap hit. The 24-year-old is eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.

Zary’s a smart, talented, versatile left-shot forward who has shown promise playing both at centre and on the wing. But he’s also someone who’s struggled to find a clear “thing” at the NHL level that makes him indispensable – or that makes it tough to shuffle him around the lineup. Time will tell if he can find that clear role with the Flames… or if it ends up happening elsewhere.