The Calgary Flames turned heads today by putting Connor Zary on waivers, and that immediately put the 25-year-old forward within reach of every team in the league at no acquisition cost.
For the Canadiens, that kind of opening is hard to ignore. Kent Hughes has made a habit of looking for young offensive help, and Zary checks a lot of the boxes Montreal tends to value: age, pedigree, and NHL production.
Zary was a first-round pick, going 24th overall to Calgary in the 2020 NHL Draft. He’s listed at six feet and 178 pounds, and his résumé goes well beyond draft position. Before reaching the pros, he tore up junior hockey with the Kamloops Blazers, piling up 86 points in 57 games in the 2019-2020 season.
His development also included a strong stretch in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers, where he posted 58 points in 72 games in 2022-2023. And at the NHL level, he’s shown enough to prove he can contribute. In 192 career games, Zary has 39 goals and 48 assists for 87 points.
His best year came in 2023-2024, when he put up 34 points in 63 games. After that, he stayed productive with 27 points in 2024-2025 and 25 points in 2025-2026.
That production is part of why he makes sense for Montreal, especially with the club’s centre depth always under the microscope. A 25-year-old centre would add competition in a hurry, and Zary’s offensive profile could fit well in Martin St-Louis’ system.
Of course, the Canadiens won’t be the only team sniffing around. Several clubs are expected to look at claiming Zary in the coming hours.
He’s not the only name on the wire today, either. New York Rangers defenceman Matthew Robertson and Calgary Flames defenceman Brayden Pachal are also available.
In Other News...
Canadiens Fans May Hate What A Zibanejad Push Could Cost
The Canadiens search for a long-term answer down the middle is already one of the louder background stories around the organization, and Shayne Gaumond recently pushed it into even sharper focus by floating Mika Zibanejad as a possible No. 2 center by the time the playoffs arrive. The appeal is easy to understand from Montreals side: Zibanejad would instantly change the shape of the forward group, and his ties to president Jeff Gorton and Rangers winger Chris Kreider give the idea a familiar human thread beyond the usual trade-board speculation.
Still, this is the kind of move that only starts to make sense if Montreal proves it belongs in the contender conversation first. A player of Zibanejads stature would not be a casual add, and the Canadiens would have to show real traction before a deal of that magnitude could ever come into view. For now, the story is less about a finished path to Montreal than about how much the organization may need to gain, and risk, if it wants to chase one of the leagues bigger-name fixes at center. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Prospect Michael Hage Is Making One Decision Look Very Smart
Michael Hages decision to return to the University of Michigan instead of signing his entry-level contract with Montreal already looks like a savvy one. After an ankle injury late last season left him limited during the NCAA playoffs, the Canadiens prospect came back for his junior year with something to prove, and he has wasted little time showing why patience was the right call.
Hage has opened the season in strong fashion, giving Michigan a major boost in the first two games and quickly reestablishing himself as one of the teams key players. For Montreal, it is the kind of early return on investment that matters even before he ever puts on a Canadiens sweater, with his development now trending in exactly the direction the organization wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Have A Real Kirby Dach Decision To Make
Kirby Dach has become one of the more intriguing names in Montreals early-season conversation, and it has less to do with what the Canadiens know than with what they still need to sort out. Dave Pagnotta recently noted the clubs roster depth could create room for adjustments, and Dachs uneven camp only added to the uncertainty around where he fits as Montreal looks to take a fuller reading of its lineup.
There have also been loose whispers linking Dach to teams in Alberta, which only adds another layer to a situation the Canadiens are not rushing to resolve. For now, the sense is that Montreal wants to evaluate the roster before making any further move, and that leaves Dach in a spot that could change quickly once the front office gets a better sense of the group it has in front of it. [Read more 🡒]