New contract provides Flames’ Zary with ‘clean slate’ heading into season

CALGARY — Shortly after ending a prolonged contract negotiation by signing an $11.3 million extension, Connor Zary headed to the links to tee it up with pals. 

“I gotta be honest, my game went to shambles after that,” laughed the 23-year-old Flames forward from his home in Saskatoon.

“I had too much jittery adrenaline, I couldn’t even stand over my ball.

“It was a big weight off my shoulders to finally get it done.”

Complicated by an injury-riddled season that made contract comparables somewhat contentious, Zary finally signed off on a three-year deal that will pay him an average of $3.775 million annually.

At times a frustrating journey many thought would be wrapped up long before Labour Day, Zary revealed the two sides actually started talking about an extension last summer before a pair of knee injuries last season ground things to a halt.

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They picked up again in July, and the result is a deal that gives the Flames cost certainty on a top-nine forward who can play anywhere he’s put.

“It’s always tough when you miss any time, those two injuries didn’t help at all,” said Zary of the complicated negotiations that followed a 13-goal, 27-point campaign in 54 games.

“It got more and more stressful, and at times it was frustrating, but now it’s a clean slate and we go forward. There was never any thought to missing any time in camp. To me, it’s just taking advantage of the opportunities I get moving forward and making a difference.”

Considered to be one of the more cerebral and complete young players in the organization, he admits he may have erred by not picking up the tab while celebrating Friday night with his family.

“I tried to, but actually my parents wanted to pick it up as a gift to me — I think they’re just so proud of me,” said Zary, who pocketed a $500,000 signing bonus.

“I definitely should be paying. I’ll take the rest of the tabs from now on.”    

A gifted stickhandler and playmaker who himself has been projected to be a 20-goal, 50-point player, coach Ryan Huska and GM Craig Conroy will be keeping close tabs on where the first-rounder best fits into a lineup in search of more offence.

A healthy Zary could go a long way towards helping the Flames jump up a list that saw them finish fourth-last in NHL scoring last season. 

Expect there to be plenty of debate around when — not if — Zary is eventually moved into the middle of the ice, where the organization continues trying to address its biggest hole.

It’s a tidy piece of business for Conroy, whose only looming issue heading into training camp is now the future of Rasmus Andersson. A story for another day, as in Tuesday’s golf tourney, when we’ll hear from the veteran for the first time since it’s been made clear he’ll be traded by the deadline.

Signing Zary is one less distraction for a team being built around talented young players like him.

“The three years was important to us,” said Conroy.

“We felt like that gives him some security and gives us some cost certainty.

“We hope he’s a 50-to-60 point guy, and he’s talked about that. Getting him into camp on time was important. We hope this takes stuff off his mind and he can just go out and play.”

Zary, who missed the last 11 games of the season, insists he’s been 100 per cent healthy all summer and working hard to start showing why he’ll be worth a lot more as an RFA with arbitration rights in three years time. At that point, he’ll be one year away from unrestricted free agency.

“I feel there’s always something to prove, and you’re always working to be a better player and person,” he said.

“Each year, it’s trying to step forward. Now we’ll let the chips fall where they will.”