Calgary Flames’ Connor Zary day-to-day with upper-body injury

Zary, 22, suffered the injury during Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He left the game twice, once in the first period and then again in the third period after just one shift in that frame, and he didn’t return after that. There’s no specific timeline for return at the moment, all that we know for now is that he’s day-to-day and will miss Monday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.

Zary has had a strong rookie season for the Flames, as he has 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points in 50 games. Assuming his injury doesn’t keep him out of the lineup beyond Monday’s game, he’s on pace for 41 points, and his 0.58 point-per-game pace is tied with Leo Carlsson for second among all rookies, with Connor Bedard well in the lead at 0.87.

Zary was the 24th-overall pick for the Flames in the 2020 NHL Draft, and had spent three seasons between the WHL and AHL after that before finally making his NHL debut this season.

Due to Zary’s entry-level contract sliding for a couple seasons, he is only in the second year of his three-year deal despite signing it all the way back in the 2020 offseason. It comes with an $863,333 cap hit, along with the potential for an additional $212,500 in performance bonuses.

The Flames have recalled winger Matt Coronato from their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers, in response to Zary’s injury, although it’s likely more for depth insurance as Walker Duehr will be drawing into the lineup instead. Coronato has 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points in 15 games with the Flames, as well as 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 40 games with the Wranglers.

The Flames currently sit in fifth in the Pacific Division with a 30-25-5 record, which is seven points behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild card spot in the Western Conference, although the Flames have two games in hand. Calgary will look to continue their five-game winning streak when they host the Kraken on Monday at 9:30 p.m. EST.