Zary's Fall from Grace: Flames' Tough Call

0:00It's April 16th. You're listening to NHL News today, AI-powered coverage of your squad. Conor Zerry burst onto the scene with the Calgary Flames 2 seasons ago in 2023-24. The 24-year-old center plays 63 games as a rookie, scoring 14 goals and 34 points. Good enough for eighth and calder. Trophy boating. Flames fans were hyped, seeing him as a cornerstone for the future. But fast-forward and things have gone backwards. This season, he's got just 12 goals and 25 points with only one game left. Last year, in 2024-25, it was 13 goals and 27 points over 54 games. His worst pace yet. Knee injuries my player role, and some gripe about his ice time, but the production just isn't there. Fans who push for calder, love back then, are now second-guessing everything. Zerry was a first-round pick with top six promise, but now he looks more like a middle-six guy at best. The flames have four prospects with higher offensive ceilings, shifting the vibe from

1:02building block to potential trade-chip. Management faces a tough call. They sunk draft picks and development into him. At 24, there's still growth potential, but trading him cheap or letting another team unlock him would sting. Holding on means betting he rebounds. The clock is ticking for Zerry to step up on both ends if he wants to stick around for Calgary's cut push. Other way, this saga shows how brutal the NHL can be.