Connor Zary is headed to the AHL after clearing waivers, and the Calgary Flames are sending him there with Brayden Pachal after both players went unclaimed on Tuesday.
The move arrived in the middle of a brutal start for Calgary, one that has already put the club at a minus-13 goal differential through three games - the third worst mark in NHL history. That kind of start has only sharpened the criticism around the Flames, especially the slow, uninspiring offense under Ryan Huska.
Zary’s name was the one that caught plenty of attention on Monday when Calgary decided to place the young forward on waivers. There was some belief around the league that he might draw interest, but his $3.775 million cap hit and lack of production made a claim feel unlikely. That’s exactly how it played out, with Zary clearing alongside Pachal and both now eligible to report to the Calgary Wranglers.
“Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal both clear waivers.
Now eligible to be sent to the AHL Wranglers. #Flames”
The decision also fits into a longer-running tension between Zary and Huska. After the 2025/26 season, Zary publicly called out Huska in his year-end interview, saying young offensive players don’t get the freedom they need to succeed in the NHL. The fit has looked uneasy ever since, and in two games this season Zary has not looked comfortable in the system and has struggled badly.
After the waiver result, Huska said he was glad both players remained in the organization and wants them playing games for the Wranglers.
“Now that they’ve cleared waivers, plan is for Connor Zary and Brayden Pachal to be sent to the AHL Wranglers.
Head coach Ryan Huska says both need to play games and he’s glad both are still in the organization. #Flames”
Zary’s path has taken a sharp turn from where it once seemed headed. He was a standout for the Wranglers, putting up 58 points in 72 games during the franchise’s first season in Calgary and earning a full-time promotion to the Flames. The organization still believes there’s an NHL player in the 25-year-old, even if injuries have changed the way he plays.
For now, the next step is simple: prove it again in the AHL. Calgary’s next game comes Friday, and Zary and Pachal will be trying to answer after a two-game sweep by the Wranglers this past weekend.
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Flames Suddenly Have A Young Forward Decision Fans Didn't Expect
The Flames made a notable young-forward shuffle this week, parting with former first-round pick Connor Zary after placing him on waivers. The move sent a ripple through a Calgary roster that has been leaning on internal competition for depth, and it also opened the door for two more prospects to get a look with the NHL club as the schedule tightens.
Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna have both been brought up from the Wranglers, giving Calgary a chance to see what each can add in a forward group that needs energy and production. Suniev has flashed offensive upside in preseason and AHL play, while Castagna has earned his way into the conversation with strong work in the minors, making this one of those early-season decisions that could quietly shape the teams depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
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Aydar Suniev, Tyson Gross, Jonathan Castagna, Alex Nylander and Rory Kerins are all being viewed as possible options for an NHL promotion, and the teams decision could say plenty about how it wants to handle its forward group in the short term. Nothing has been made official yet, but the anticipation alone underscores how quickly the Flames may need to sort through their options if they want to keep enough offense in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Scoring Problem Puts One Veteran Option In Focus
Three games into the 2026-27 season, the Flames are already facing an offense that has produced just three goals, and that has naturally pushed help-seeking conversations into the open. On TSNs Insider Trading, Pierre LeBrun reported that Calgary has at least discussed the idea of adding veteran winger Patrik Laine, a free agent who is still recovering from injury and would bring instant name value to a lineup that has struggled to find it early.
For now, though, the focus appears to be internal, with the team inclined to see what its young options can provide before making a bigger move. Aydar Suniev, Rory Kerins and Alex Nylander are among the Wranglers players the Flames want to evaluate, which leaves Laine as a potential fix rather than an immediate one. The interest is there, but the urgency to act on it does not seem to be. [Read more 🡒]