The Maple Leafs have been handed a clean opportunity to shore up the middle of their lineup, and Connor Zary is suddenly right there for the taking.
On Monday, the Calgary Flames placed the 25-year-old center on waivers after a rough start to the season. Zary opened with one assist in two games, along with a minus-2 rating in 13:38 of ice time.
That move comes after a stretch in which Zary had established himself as a useful part of Calgary’s group. In 193 career games, all with the Flames, he has produced 39 goals and 87 points. His best run came as a rookie in 2023-24, when he put up 14 goals and 34 points and finished eighth in Calder voting.
There’s a little surprise here, because Zary has been a steady lineup piece over the past three seasons. But Calgary’s early struggles seem to have pushed the club into an aggressive decision.
Zary brings more than just a scoring touch. He’s known for a strong shot, he’s been serviceable in the face-off circle, and he can work his way through defenders with quickness. He isn’t the most physical center, but his skill set gives him a different look.
For Toronto, the fit is obvious. The Maple Leafs need help down the middle, and Zary offers an immediate option. John Tavares is getting up there, and while his face-off numbers remain elite, that alone hasn’t solved the problem.
Zary also brings strong possession numbers, and he has the kind of game that could work in a number of directions - finishing chances for Gavin McKenna or helping create offense for William Nylander. With the puck on his stick often, he would give Toronto another way to generate looks.
At 25, he still has room to grow, which matters for a team that has its eyes on the future with McKenna, Easton Cowan, and Kirill Marchenko in the picture. He also fits the money. Zary costs about the same as Max Domi and is under contract for this season and next, which lines up with Toronto’s win-now approach.
If the Maple Leafs want him, the clock is short. They’ll have 24 hours to make a claim, unless another team ahead of them gets there first.
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Maple Leafs Head To Nashville With One Frustrating Lineup Question
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Jim Hiller still has plenty to sort through, though, especially with the forward groups not yet producing the kind of balance the Leafs want. For now, the club is sticking with the same structure it used in practice, leaving one of the more frustrating lineup questions hanging as the team heads into a road test that could say plenty about where this group is headed. [Read more 🡒]