The New York Rangers have been diligently going about transforming their roster. Thus far, the moves seem to have paid off.
But that doesn’t mean the team is done looking to improve. Far from it.
And if Elliotte Friedman is right, the Blueshirts were looking to bring in a once-promising prospect from the Calgary Flames.
During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman identified Flames center Connor Zary as a person of interest in New York. But as the notable insider pointed out, the talks didn’t really get all that far.
“I think one of the teams that has kind of dipped their toes on Zary are the… Rangers.”
So, the comments point towards Rangers GM Chris Drury checking in on what it would cost to land Zary in New York. However, the comments also seem to indicate those talks didn’t get very far. Friedman did not get into any specifics of any offer made to Calgary, if there ever was one.
Zary became a notable name in NHL news this week as he hit the waiver wire. Unsurprisingly, Zary went unclaimed, as his $3.775 million cap hit for the next two seasons seems a little high for most teams.
Zary Would Have Been Reclamation Project for Rangers
The Flames picked Zary 24th in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He joined the organization with the customary hype that comes with being a first-round pick.
He seemed really promising during his rookie season, scoring 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games. The Flames were high on Zary becoming a fixture. The club made the questionable move of extending him on a three-year, $11.33 million deal following a rough sophomore season.
Last year, Zary’s numbers dipped again, managing just 25 points in 74 games. That situation prompted the Flames to see if there would be any takers for the 25-year-old.
And the Rangers, if they were serious about landing Zary, would see him as a reclamation project. He wouldn’t necessarily be a top-six forward in New York, but would be an upgrade in the bottom six.
But it’s the cap hit, as Friedman pointed out, that’s getting in the way of Zary catching on with another organization.
That’s likely why the Rangers may not be too keen on taking on his contract this season.
New York Might Still Be Holding Out for Zary
At the end of the day, New York might still be holding out for Zary. The Rangers could be hopeful that the Flames will get desperate enough to lower the price tag and potentially retain some of his salary in a deal.
That’s something unclear at this point.
The Flames are a rebuilding club and will likely want to get as many assets as they can for players they’d like to move.
Unless they were willing to take a bunch of late-round picks will still retaining a portion of Zary’s cap hit, a trade here might not be so likely.
Then again, things can change in a hurry. That’s why there might still be legs to this rumor after all.
Rangers Quietly Targeted Connor Zary, Friedman Says