While it wasn’t the worst-case scenario for Flames forward Connor Zary as it pertains to his lower-body injury, he’ll still be out for a little while. The team announced (Twitter link) that Zary has been listed as out week-to-week.
The injury was sustained back on Thursday in their loss to Dallas in a collision with Mikko Rantanen, requiring some assistance to get off the ice. Initially feared it could be a recurrence of the significant knee injury that caused Zary to miss 15 games recently, it doesn’t appear as if the injury is as severe but nonetheless, he’s set to miss some time.
This is Zary’s first full NHL season after he spent a bit of time with AHL Calgary last year. The 23-year-old had 14 goals and 20 assists in 63 games in 2023-24 and is producing at a similar clip this year, tallying 13 goals and 14 helpers in 54 outings, good for seventh in team scoring, fifth among Flames forwards.
Zary joins Anthony Mantha and Justin Kirkland (who both have season-ending injuries) on the shelf for Calgary as they look to get back into a playoff spot. Entering tonight’s action, the Flames are six points out of the last Wild Card spot held by St. Louis but also have three games in hand on the Blues. But they’ll have to find a way to stay in the mix without one of their top-six forwards for at least the next little while.