PuckSleuth
47Cap hit
$3.775M
3.6% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$763K
vs. $4.538M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
1
0 primary
Points
1
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
13:19
PP 0:52 · PK 0:00
xGF%
49.6
5v5, +2.1 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.27
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
0 W · 1 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 0 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 vs SEA · L 6-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13:19 | 0:52 | 0:00 | 0-1 | 100 | 3 | 0 | -1 | -0.27 |
| Apr 14 vs COL · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15:22 | 1:54 | 0:00 | — | 40 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.47 |
| Apr 12 vs UTA · W 4-1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14:45 | 3:10 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.51 |
| Apr 11 @ SEA · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11:23 | 0:44 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.19 |
| Apr 9 @ COL · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14:18 | 1:07 | 0:00 | 0-1 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.28 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 903 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
36th percentile
60th percentile
48th percentile
61st percentile
60th percentile
48th percentile
49th percentile
58th percentile
60th percentile
52nd percentile
25th percentile
11th percentile
42nd percentile
38th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleDefensive-minded depth center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Zary plays a responsible defensive game with solid impact in his own zone, but lacks the playmaking and speed to drive offense. He generates chances from good shot locations and manages the puck adequately, but his limited speed and creativity constrain his overall effectiveness.
- Shooting volume
- 45
- Playmaking
- 15
- Zone entries(est.)
- 29
- Forechecking
- 36
- Physicality
- 18
- Defensive impact
- 64
- Puck management
- 55
- Speed
- 4
Where he shoots from
Slot 52% · Mid-range 31% · Perimeter 17%(153 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Defensive impact in the 64th percentile among centers
- Slot-heavy shooting at 52% of unblocked shots from high-danger areas
- Puck management at the 55th percentile keeps play even
Watch-outs
- Speed in the 4th percentile severely limits rush chances and transition play
- Playmaking at 15th percentile offers little passing threat
- Zone entries at 29th percentile suggest struggle to enter with possession
Similar style: Pius Suter (STL), Kevin Stenlund (UTA)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 74 GP · goals above average
Season total -6.2 goals, or -0.08 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.7
- Power play
- -0.8
- Finishing
- -2.4
- Playmaking
- -3.7
- Penalties
- +1.5
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Calgary Flames | 63 | 14 | 20 | 34 | +12 | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 90 | 15.6 | 15:16 | 44.0 | +0.07 |
| 2024-25 | Calgary Flames | 54 | 13 | 14 | 27 | -7 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 111 | 11.7 | 16:04 | 37.3 | -0.06 |
| 2025-26 | Calgary Flames | 74 | 12 | 13 | 25 | -9 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 110 | 10.9 | 14:22 | 45.8 | -0.08 |
| 2026-27 | Calgary Flames | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 13:19 | — | -0.27 |
| Career | 4 seasons | 192 | 39 | 48 | 87 | -5 | 58 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 8 | 312 | 12.5 | 15:08 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs SEA, Oct 1
Line 1 with Ryan Strome and Yegor Sharangovich (10:54 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Zary, Kuznetsov to sit out Saturday in Vancouver as healthy scratches
flamesnation.ca · Oct 3
- 2026/27 Calgary Flames Player Preview: Connor Zary
flameforthought.com · Sep 24
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.02 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.8 mph
- 6th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 11
- Hardest shot
- 78.9 mph
- 18th pct
- Distance
- 180.9 mi
- OZ time
- 42.0%
- 49th pct
- DZ time
- 39.4%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 25, forwards typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 26, when the typical level is 98%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CGY | $3.775M | 3.6% |
| 2027-28 | CGY | $3.775M | 3.3% |
RFA after 2027-28. $7.55M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).