Connor Zary's Fast Start
Welcome to the THW Calgary Flames Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Flames writers.
In today’s edition, we have a piece on Connor Zary’s excellent start to his career and recap a recent Flames’ loss to the Nashville Predators in which some of their early-season struggles re-emerged.
It would be great if you’d share the THW Flames Substack with your friends and family so they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Now, on to the good stuff…
Flames’ Early Season Woes Re-Appear in Ugly Loss to Predators
November 23, 2023 by Rupert McDonald
The Calgary Flames appeared to have a good thing going as of late. They entered Wednesday night’s game versus the Nashville Predators with seven points over their past four games, and had a chance to enter American Thanksgiving in a wild card position if they would have been able to come out with a win.
That was far from the case, however, as the Flames fell to the Predators by a 4-2 final in a game that could have been even worse. Their effort level at Bridgestone Arena was simply not good enough, something head coach Ryan Huska admitted when speaking with reporters afterward. While it’s only one game, it feels like a major step backward for a team that appeared to be turning things around.
Flames’ Zary Off to One of the Greatest Starts in Franchise History
November 25, 2023 by Derek Olsen
The Calgary Flames are now trending in the right direction of late. It is of no coincidence whatsoever that this change was initiated by some call-ups via the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate down the hall in the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Calgary Wranglers. On Halloween, the team brought up 2020 first-rounder Connor Zary, followed by fellow forward Martin Pospisil and defenceman Nick DeSimone on Nov. 3. The trio has been impressing anyone associated with the Flames immensely thus far.
The three men have combined for a whopping six goals and 18 points in the last 10 games. Both Zary and Pospisil scored their first career NHL goals in their first games, whereas DeSimone is still searching for his but has played meaningful minutes on the backend. Standing out amongst the trio is the aforementioned Zary, whose play has been consistently mind-boggling considering his lack of professional experience. In fact, he is off to one of the better starts in Flames history with three goals, nine points, a plus-3 rating, and 14 shots on goal through his first 10 NHL games. Let’s dive into the first 10 games of his career and compare them to some Flames greats from the past.