In this week’s edition of Calgary Flames News & Rumours, Connor Zary has finally been signed to a bridge deal ahead of the 2025-26 season. Meanwhile, the fan base and organization itself continue to wait on a Rasmus Andersson trade. In other news, MacKenzie Weegar is plenty motivated to have the best season of his career and crack Canada’s Olympic roster. Last, but not least, former Flame Derek Ryan has announced his retirement.
Zary and Flames Agree to Extension
Given that we are now in September, it was beginning to get worrisome that the Flames and Zary hadn’t yet worked out a contract extension. That fear is now gone, however, as the 23-year-old agreed to a three-year, $11.3 million deal that will carry a cap hit of $3.775 million.
This is a very reasonable deal for both sides, as it gives Zary the opportunity to prove that he can be a true top-six forward, while the Flames can get a better idea as to what type of player he is. The 2020 first-round pick appeared in 57 games this past season, his second as an NHLer, scoring 13 goals and 27 points. Now that his signing is out of the way, the Flames have their entire roster under contract for the upcoming season.
Andersson Continues to Wait on Trade
It’s become very obvious over the offseason that the Flames will be trading Andersson; the question is when. There was some belief it could be done in the summer, but that appears unlikely. Instead, the organization appears to be hoping he can have a solid start to the 2025-26 season to help boost his trade value.
Related: Flames News & Rumors: Zary, Andersson, Lowry
Though Andersson doesn’t fit into the Flames’ long-term plans, he would for plenty of other organizations. He’s still just 28 years old, is a right-hand shot, and would be a top-four defenceman for every Stanley Cup contender in the NHL. General manager Craig Conroy is clearly being patient in order to receive a package he feels is worthy for the Swedish blueliner.
Weegar Aiming to Crack Canada’s Roster
After being snubbed from Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, Weegar was one of 42 players to receive an invite to Canada’s Olympic orientation camp held in Calgary in late August. It was a nice recognition for a player who has become a truly elite defenceman since joining the Flames ahead of the 2022-23 season.
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