Connor Zary Trade Interest Could Draw Canadiens
connor zary is now tied to Montreal in a specific way: if Calgary moves him, the Canadiens look like a team that would explore the option. The 25-year-old enters that conversation with a $3.775 million salary through the summer of 2028, which turns any pursuit into a multi-year roster decision.
Calgary’s roster line
Anthony Di Marco said the Flames were willing to move anyone on the roster other than Dustin Wolf, Zayne Parekh, Matt Coronato, and Matvei Gridin. That leaves Zary squarely inside the group Calgary could shop as it tries to reshape a team that finished 34-39-9 and has not been in the playoffs since 2022.
Zary’s appeal starts with the role he can play. He has mostly been used on the wing since reaching the NHL, but he is capable of handling center, and that flexibility is part of why he keeps coming up in trade talk. For a team trying to get younger, he also fits the kind of controlled, multi-year piece that does not have to be rented for a short push.
Montreal’s prior gambles
The Canadiens have already taken similar swings with Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Zachary Bolduc in recent years. That history gives the Zary link a cleaner fit than a random rumor: Montreal has shown a willingness to bet on forwards it thinks can be developed into something more than their current scoring totals.
Zary’s current production is modest enough to make the question real. He had 12 goals and 25 points in 74 games last season, and he has never cleared 34 points in a season. He is also described as unhappy in Calgary, with a change of scenery framed as something that could do him good.
Connor Zary’s next move
The market would be shaped by two facts at once: Calgary’s willingness to listen on most of its roster and Montreal’s habit of buying into unfinished forwards. If the Flames open the door, the Canadiens are one of the teams positioned to step through it, and Zary’s age, role versatility, and contract through 2028 make him more than a short-term talking point.
