Calgary Flames forward Connor Zary cleared waivers surprisingly on Tuesday, which leaves the door open for the Maple Leafs to offer a low-risk deal to acquire him.
On Monday afternoon, the Calgary Flames made a bit of a surprising move as they placed forward Connor Zary on waivers. Despite putting up some solid numbers, it seems the Flames were ready to move on.
It was presumed that Zary had his fair share of suitors given his age and production, and the fact that they could get him without relinquishing assets is also an added benefit to claiming him. As Tuesday's deadline approached, the question seemed to be where he'll go, not if.
Connor Zary clears waivers but that doesn't mean he isn't headed out of Calgary
But shockingly, no team decided to give Zary a shot as he cleared waivers, and he will now be assigned to the AHL unless the Flames trade him.
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Elliotte Friedman also added a note to Zary's clearing, as he noted that he wasn't claimed due to contract-related issues, and he will likely be traded as the Flames look to work out a deal:
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Zary, 25, has one assist in two games for the Flames this season, and has 87 points in 193 games which includes 39 goals. He's known for having a fairly lethal shot, and he's managed to average 13 goals in his time with Calgary.
Sure it's not blowing the doors off the NHL, but he's been a reliable player stuck on a middling Calgary team that has not been good for the past two seasons. He's signed for $3.775M for this season and the next, so he's not too expensive to take a flyer on and has some term.
The Maple Leafs could be the perfect fit for Zary to rebound
With Zary looking for a new home, the Maple Leafs are a team who could certainly give him a proper role. He's more than serviceable taking face-offs, he's got the finishing skill that the team needs in their bottom-six, and he helps them get younger.
Think of Zary as a much better and healthy Max Domi, as he can play both the wing and centre, and uses his smaller stature to weave through opponents and find open space. For a bottom-six that really only has Easton Cowan as a scoring threat, adding Zary would at least open up more space and more offensive chances.
And being 25, he's still coming into his prime and perhaps being on a more competitive team will motivate him to reach that next level. Toronto wouldn't be breaking the bank nor would they need to give up prime assets to acquire him. If Calgary wants to freshen things up - they have the perfect partner.
So while it's a surprise that Zary cleared, it was his contract that would have prevented it anyways. But that doesn't mean he's sticking around the Flames, and word of a trade is more likely than not in the coming days.
Should the Maple Leafs make a trade for Connor Zary?
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