Flames Resolve Contract Dispute With RFA Forward

The Saskatoon native has spent his entire NHL career with the Calgary Flames.

Mar 12, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Connor Zary (47) controls the puck against Vancouver Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek (17) during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Calgary Flames took care of their final preseason bit of business after a summer of negotiations. The organization and restricted free agent forward Connor Zary resolved their contractual standoff and he will be reporting to Calgary to begin the 2025-2026 season.

The Flames announced that they signed Zary to a three-year contract extension. The deal will pay him a total of $11.33 million and carries an average annual value of $3.775 million. Coming off his entry-level contract, Zary receives a significant pay bump entering his third season in the NHL.

This deal is an excellent bridge contract for both sides. Zary will turn 24 this season and is coming off a knee injury that limited him to 54 games last year. Still, he's shown consistent improvement. The former first-round pick recorded 14 goals and 34 points as a rookie and 13 goals as a sophomore. The deal takes him to his final year of RFA eligibility as well, giving the Flames a bit of contractual control over the next few seasons.

It’s a huge vote of confidence in Zary. The Flames barely missed the playoffs last season and they are contenders to steal a spot in the upcoming year. For a team with postseason ambitions, they are putting a lot of hope that Zary can take the next step and stay healthy,

“There’s nothing better than that,” he said. “Especially after what happened last season, and to get the opportunity to play the game I love for the Calgary Flames.”

Dec 12, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Calgary Flames center Connor Zary (47) scores a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Super-Ecstatic

To describe the rising forward as happy about this deal would be an understatement. Zary spoke with Chris Wahl from the Flames' website after signing his extension and described the absolute joy and excitement he has now that this is done and he can focus solely on the upcoming season.

“I was more than ecstatic, you know, over the last week, just when you’re getting close to the finish line, to actually get it done,” he said. “To know that it was getting done, and getting close, was huge for me."

The Saskatoon native has spent his entire NHL career with the Flames. Drafted with the 24th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, he played his first two professional seasons with the Flames' AHL affiliates. There, he showed a strong, two-way game, highlighted by scoring 21 goals and recording 58 points in 72 AHL contests during the 2022-2023 season.

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