Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Have The Calgary Flames Given Connor Zary A Fair Shot?? | BB Clips

Episode Date: August 27, 2026

Bobby, Pinder and Rhett dive deep into Connor Zary and where he fits with the Calgary Flames moving forward. After bursting onto the scene in Calgary, it’s been a frustrating couple of years for Zary as he’s tried to establish himself as a consistent impact player. With the Flames reportedly exploring the possibility of trading him this summer, is it time to stop moving Zary around and give him a real opportunity at center? The guys break down what’s gone wrong, what Zary still has to offer, and whether Calgary could be giving up on him too soon.Video Link: https://youtu.be/4cAn1T5q-z4#nhl #nhlshorts #nhlplayoffs #nhlpredictions #nhlhockey #nhlpicks #stanleycup #stanleycupfinal #calgaryflames CHECK OUT OUR STUFF ⬇️BARN BURNER MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/shirts/FlamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTS https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9&si=jo8iNGxT4ImhS2Y8📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiProducer: Jack Haverstock Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You, sir, are a Conorzerie Stan. I am. We all is... What's that mean? That means he's like... He's got his back. He is... Ra, raw.

I'll say fan or Stan? I said Stan. That might be a derivative of a fan. I don't know. Okay. Don't you have teenagers? Seriously. They don't...

I gave my best to ignore them. Fair enough. They're idiots. It's cool new lingo in like 2026. I'm 44. You guys are way beyond cool new lingo, so sorry. Yeah, we're answering. Anyway, you're a Zeri Stan.

We all were. And so to frame this, we watched a miserable start to the year. I think it was the first year Ryan Huska. And that team was awful and uninspired. And they called up Connor Zeri and Marty Pospassal and it was Caudry and the kids. And that changed the course of that season. Not that they went on to the playoffs and accomplished great things. But all of a sudden they were watchable.

they had a little, yes, young guys, okay, energy, boom. And then you started to dream on the skill set that Conner's area had. We're like, oh, geez, he just walked a D man or my goodness. Like that's a very high IQ, high skill play. And it felt like, all right, let's cement this player into the top six for the next decade. It stalled out pretty hard and injuries are a massive piece of that. Twice two seasons ago, he has knee injuries. The one big one was the hit from Drew Hellison against the ducks.

We were doing a live show at Richmond's Barth. and it was like, oh boy, that doesn't look good. Cuts to the middle, knee on knee, kind of his fault more than the D-Man, trying to cut across him. Comes back, they're in the playoff chase, tries to go, gets hurt again. Hasn't look like the same guy since.

Can he get back there or not? Nobody knows we all want it to happen. So what's the best path forward for him to get that? I think number one, it comes down to him needing an opportunity. I really don't think he got that opportunity last year. And quite honestly, he didn't really deserve it. He struggled last year. The big thing for me was the skating.

I thought his skating was completely off. I thought he was one of the worst skaters on the team. And you could shock that up to the knee injury. But I always find with athletes, they suffer like a big time injury. The next season, it usually takes them time both mentally and physically to get back to where they once were. And then the following year after that, there's a bit of a return to what they were at one point. Yeah, that's one outcome for sure. That's what I'm kind of banking on when it comes to Connor's area this season.

but, you know, I posted a couple highlight videos the other day of Zeri, and there's nobody else on the flames that can do what he does with the puck in terms of creating offense, the dangling, the rushing the puck. You know, for the first year and a half of his career, you know, he was great at that. Yeah, he was a highlight real, for sure. Human highlight. And the challenge is that last year he wasn't, and that's all post-injury. And so what we're hoping is that he can return physically to the place that he was.

What you're hoping not for is Yuso Vallamaki, where you went from a guy that looked like a future leader of the club for the next year, decade and a half and is a fringe, you know, NHLer. He's, he played in the American League and helped Chicago to, what, HL finals or whatever. And because he was never the same after the injury. And we don't know, but if you're Ryan Huska, are you placing him above guys that are performing better than him?

That's where I have the, the tricky spot. Because if it's him and Sam Hansick and Hansick's playing better, we're like, no, no, no, we need to give Zeri this opportunity. He's like, if one guy's outperform the other, that's kind of Ryan Hustra works. He doesn't really play favorites. It's like, who can I trust and who's playing well? It's true. But like, I think there's a way to get Zeri into the top nine.

And I think it's at center. And I think if you move Ryan Strom down the fourth line, he plays that Derek Ryan, Matt Stagin kind of role with the team this year. And you put Zeri as a third line center. You can get him into the top nine. You can get him those minutes. He's playing with skilled players. And you can just give him the opportunity.

I think that's all Flames fans are really asking for when it comes to Zeri. Like, give him the chance. And if he, if he shows up and he plays well, then great. Then you have a potential. top nine four. Have you liked them as the center? I mean, it's been a very small sample size. I didn't mind him. I know you thought he was bad, but that's my question is what's the sample size? Because I'm, I'm okay. No, no, no, I know, but moving forward, if you're saying give them center and I am too, I said, make four lines and let them all go.

Yes. Who the hell are we kidding? Yeah, they don't really have a top line and their, their fourth line doesn't look much different in the second. Yeah. So two things was very for me. He had a shitty attitude last year. And I don't know if that's frustration with how you were performing or frustration with the coach, but there was a point. I think it took a pretty good shot at him saying could act him like a cry baby. He was. Huska did that, you're saying. I did.

Oh, you did. He did something on the ice that showed up some of his teammates. Bit of a bit of pouty. That was bullshit. And he's, he's had the odd interview that has sounded pouty. Exit interview. Can you enlighten us on that, Bobby? Wait, let me finish.

So that those two, that thing. And what's a reasonable amount of time to get comfortable at center at the NHL level and to start to show. Yeah. You know what I mean? Because it's not a game. It's not two. It's probably not five.

Is it 10? 10 seems reasonable, but is that enough? You know what I mean? Like there has to be a plan. Okay, well, I'm not going to pull you out of here after three games where it's not working. But I can't go 25. Yeah.

Right? Like there has to be a. I was thinking you could maybe do 20 to 30 games. And you just, you commit. to it. Just because this year, this is not a year where they're going to be ultra competitive and pushing for the playoffs. This is the year to find out what some of these guys are. And I think this is a big year for Connor's area. I agree, but I think Ryan Huska's entire foundation is a meritocracy. And so if Tyson Gross comes out and wins

draws and doesn't get scored on, he's a better center option than a guy that's going to lose more than half his draws, doesn't have the size to hang with most NHL centers and probably, you know, has a really good chance of getting outscored when he's on the ice. But like what conversation are we having? Are we having what is Ryan Huska going to do? Or is it what do we want to see happening? I agree with you. If it's right,

if it's from Ryan Huska's perspective, Zary's not going to play center. But Ryan Huska needs to get read the ride act and say, hey, I don't love what you do, but we're building. We're trying to build here. Yeah.

And I don't, I'd like them to try Zerian center at some point. But right now, it's a much harder position to play than Wing. And we just saw him have an underwhelming year at Wing. Why are we giving him the harder task? Is it the only way to get him in the top nine? I think so.

Because you're not putting Sharon Govich. Because you're not looking to fill another fourth line fucking. No, but who cares? Let's say. They can be good or get them out of here. Yeah. Where's your downside for finding out your shitty at center? Bye.

Yeah. And if he doesn't perform, he doesn't perform. Well, he might be a good winger and not a good center. And that's the more likely outcome for most forwards. But try it at center. He's not such a good way. If he's not good enough to. He was good enough at wing before the injuries.

And that's what I want to see. and if he's really good there, you're like, shit, maybe we can even try him at center. I don't think you give him the calculus test before the math 12 test. You know what I mean? I would start him on the wing in the top nine. And if that means rotating guys turned, and look, we'll see if Huberto's ready or not. They're saying all the things you say in the off season. I don't give a shit if Huberto's.

But if Hubert was not there, there's a easy. I would sit Huberto in a stance 100 times fair before I would sit a kid. I'm just saying it's not that hard to get him in the top nine in the wing. Like if he played on a line with Strom and Sharon Govich, is that enough for you to say he had a chance to establish value in the room. You're like, oh, he didn't give me anyone to play with. Because we're kind of back to the Sam Bennett thing where it's like, well, you never played him in the top nine at center. It's like, yeah, because he was never better than Backland, Lindholm-Mermanahan. Like, you couldn't. And then you play him on the top line. You'd take

dumb ozone penalties in the first period and fall behind. Like, he played his way to the fourth line continually. And did that mean he was never going to be a good player? No. But when he was here, he never took anyone's job. And I feel like that's Connor's area has to take someone's job. Whoa. Whoa. What a fucking easy thing for you to say now. Are you saying, saying that the flames did right by Bennett? You and I were in the room and said, this guy needs to change his scenery and you'd be happy to lose a deal if it helps this guy to find a scene.

So were we right or wrong? I think we were both. We were right about Bennett needing the change of series. So are you happy to allow something like that to happen again? Or do you think that you should learn from your past? What would you do differently with Bob? I would have played him. Well, every time they tried, it didn't work.

So what? Well, give him a longer stretch. It was at least like four or five games and then he's off, he's off playing center, you know? More importantly, you have. have to be realistic about where you are as a franchise and they fake their way for too long. Yeah, that's fair. They fake their way for too long and they bought into their own bullshit. We're good enough. We're going to. You're nothing. You don't have. You don't make the playoffs back to

back years. You've never been through the second round. Let's be realistic. And the thing with Bennett, too, is there were times when Monaghan and Linholm were playing on the same line and Mark Jankowski was the third line center. And they're giving Jan Kowski reps there instead of your fourth overall pick and Sam Bennett. So I would have rather seen back then, let's give Sam, 30 games. Let's give him a whole season. Totally agree. I didn't say it at the time. I'm saying I was wrong. In hindsight, yeah. The other thing that I believe that I don't think a lot of people are on the same page and I'll just eat that, but I don't think Sam Bennett, if he stayed here,

turns into the player he isn't. No, for sure. I think there, when you're drafted, the highest in the history of a franchise, the only franchise, there was pressure on him here that he did not feel in Florida. And he got put in a spot that there was a much better fit. Well, but look at the talent in Florida. You're saying that flames in the city of Calgary's pressure. No, I think he was too hot for old Sam. I think the change of scenery allowed him to embrace being a plumber and not having to be a star center because he's never going to be a star center. But he went he went to Florida and automatically became their second line center behind Alex Barkon.

And he's playing with Jonathan Huberto. Played with Duke Claire and Huberto that first year. And in Calgary, he never really got that chance. I remember there was a small sample of games where he got to play with Johnny Goddrow when it was like four or five games. and that was it. Whereas in Florida, they just automatically made him the second line center and said,

run with it. Like, we're going to make you the guy. We're going to play with good players. And Calgary didn't do that. And that's where I hope they kind of learned from that with Zeri. For good and for bad. There's plenty of examples of players who are given opportunity.

Even if you don't, and all of a sudden you're like, oh, shit, he's pretty good. It happened. And then there's other guys who are like, why are we not giving this guy the opportunity? I mean,

if you're never given the opportunity, it's impossible. Yeah. No, and I think in both instances, there's been some opportunity given, but the merit thing keeps happening where I'm like, well, Bennett did get outplayed by

Manjapenny. Like he got passed by all these guys, just like we're seeing with Zerri and you're like, Gritten's clearly passed him. I think if I'm guessing, I'd say Hansik passes him this year. And it's like... That's a big guess. No, that's injured too.

My guess. My guess. Just a guess. But like the small sample of Hansik last year, I liked a lot more than what we saw from Zari. And it's the first year of injured. Plenty of Hansik where I've not liked as well. Fair. I just, the challenge that it's a philosophical thing is it, do we just staple them in the lineup and give them the opportunity and just cover our eyes when it's not pretty? Or are you like, we are a hard meritocracy.

We can't do this. Other guys deserve these minutes more. And I lose credibility as a coach. If this guy's in here just because he was a first rounder. That's the, that's the battle. It's philosophical. It is a bit philosophical, but I don't. What are you trying to achieve?

That's exactly it. Where are you as a team right now? This is the time for any franchise, what are you trying to achieve? So I would say down the middle you're going to very, No, no, you're making bullshit up. What are you trying to achieve? Well, you're trying to get good in the next five years. You're trying to win a fucking Stanley Cup.

If you're not, I don't want to come watch. Yeah, that should be every team school. So I don't give a shit to find out if we've got another fourth line winger or a third line winger because that's not going to, that's not. Second line winger would be nice, but yeah. Like, you know, but the point, all of the point I'm trying to make is, you need to find out if guys can be core pieces. Yeah.

And I want them to be. People are going to hear this. Why do you hate Zeri? I would love Zeri to be so good that they trade Fairby and get assets back. Like, go do it. I'd love it. I'd love them to have so many good players that they can liquidate older guys into assets. But I just, I keep coming back to this spot where it's just like at some point he's going to have to show something.

Like we're not talking about a 19 goal guy that's getting benched. Like he is struggling to get 10 goals. And he's not going to show that on the fourth line though. He's not going to show that. He's had lost in the preample minutes with. But that's why. It's one bad year, though. Like, like, I thought in 24, 25, his first half before he got hurt, he was their most

dangerous player. Like, he was creating offense. He was the guy that's attacked the defense on other teams more than anyone else. The pre-injury Zeri is the guy we all want. And that's what I want to see. And if he shows up, then great, then maybe he turns into like a Morgan Frost. You can have moving Morgan Frost and replace him as Zeri. And if he doesn't become that guy, then you just move on.

on. Like I just, I think it's kind of that easy. Yeah. And, and again, who knows them best? Awesome. We're experts and we're not casuals. The flames, right? Like, we, we watch a lot. They say even more. Yeah. What were they willing to do this summer with them? No, trade them. For what? Nothing. Well, second round pick. And did anyone offer that? No. So what is the consensus around the league about what this guy's value? Well, right now, it's low. Right now, it's not good, but they could turn around, though. Oh, for sure. And like I said, I want it to. Yeah. And there is a that he is an excellent second line winger. I would be interested.

But it's a bad, it's not great when the entire league looks and says, because when Sam Bennett was on the market, other teams are like, no, no, no, no, we can rehab this. That didn't happen. Was there? That's fine. I would be interested to see what Frost and Farabee's numbers are. On terms of years ago.

Like, wow, we're looking at this. 25 points of shit. So at 24, what were they? Right? Like, I would say, like, Frost has proven that he's a center, Zeri hasn't and the offensive numbers would be slight in favor of Frost, Farab be slightly in favor.

But I don't think it's crazy for him to get to those kind of totals. I don't think he's going to do it at center but I think he could play it. He was kind of on pace to do it in 24, 25. I mean, he was on pace for almost 20 goals that year. He had a great start. The injuries, man. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Like, say you're in the locker room and you see Ryan Huska

give Connor Zeri the third line center spot and he's essentially giving it to him. Zeri hasn't earned that. You as a player, are you kind of pissed off? saying, oh, he didn't earn it, or are you like, good, let's give this guy a chance. No. First of all, if you have animosity towards your other, to your teammates, your room is shit. Yeah, I don't worry about that so much.

I would, there's a bit of. Philosophy and whatever your meritocracy, Hubido does not need to play. I am serious. I don't get if he's healthy or not. I don't need him in a, like put him in the stands. And I'm just going to sound like a maybe a. D about it, but what are we finding out with him? Well, you want to find out if the hip resurfacing has changed.

Why? What difference does it make to our franchise if Jonathan Hebrador has a better hip than he did last year? You got to rebuild his value. Like I think you want to move on that contract. I think he's a rebuild his value to trade him? Yeah. Oh, at the expense of finding out of some of your other kids are good? Potentially.

I think that's a bad tradeoff. So the point I'm getting at is this is how I would approach it. I'm playing four lines. Yeah. And even if it's Igor in the rafters or Sipulikov, who cares? I don't care who it is. I definitely...

I was terrible to start it last year. And he still always ends up getting close to 20. But again, you know what Igor is? If you need to move Igor for a bit to get Jerry Reps and final. That's my point is that you have players that are not going to be core or any... Their place. Yes. There's a lot of placeholders here.

Spread it out. Like Frost is a placeholder. Strom is a placeholder. Fairby's a placeholder. Sheringovich is a placeholder. Backland. Yeah. I don't need to see Backland.

And I get. Hart on Backland, it's like, he doesn't need to play 20. He's the only guy that can play the T's on at center. That's the thing. You have to find out, Ryan. We don't care if Michael Backland can play D at center this season. No, you know. I don't care.

I know he can. Yeah. And again, I'm with you. I just know what a coach that's going to be judged. That coach, then the coach is going to be on the hot seat. And that's for Craig Connery needs to step in and say, hey, this season is all about our young players. It's all about development.

Do you remember a year ago? I'm supposed to be more Peter Marr. This wonderful humans down on Saddle don't rise. Five, got, fun. The best of hopes and intentions and beliefs. Rebiggle. They were thinking that we were good and we're going to go for it. Rebiggle.

What? What are you talking about? Yeah, I kind of think that was an interview that went sideways. I'm not talking about the interview. Last year, at this time, coming off the prior season, where they'd worked their asses off. And you gave them credit for it. You were thinking, Jesus, we might be.

We're there. Tie breaker. Yeah. No. You weren't. I think if you gave Connie the truth serum, he'd say there was a very high probability that they weren't going to be good. But yes, you have to lean to that. You can't bail on a locker room after they missed by a tie break.

I didn't say bail. I know. You could approach how you. But you're right. Publicly, they talked like they were good. And deep down aside. I think a lot of them thought it. And I think Huska.

God, again, give him credit for what he's done. I think he does do a great job. But there has to be a point where you need kids that can come along and make a difference. And if you're not going to play them and find out, it's going to be, well, then keep getting old bastards that are going to be just middle of the road and play soldiers. Great. And if their goal was to be bad in 24, 25, 25, 26, they would have traded Cadry, Weeger, Anderson. I think they would have moved those guys earlier and signal that this is a legit rebuild. but they kept around quite a few veterans.

It felt like Coleman, too. It felt like Christmas last year is when they really actually committed to tearing this down. And they've never done that in my lifetime, ever. They've had rebuilds that they were forced into because they were bad at running hockey teams, but they've never chosen a path. I don't think they've ever re- This is it. Tr-Living rebuilt once. And it was because of bad management.

It wasn't a path he chose. And it was one year. And it was, you know, you hit on Johnny. Monahan plays right away. Kachuk play. Geo's at a Norris level. So it propels them into the mediocrine. They think they're good enough.

This is really their first rebuild they've chosen. For sure. Now, I'll give you one more on zero and then we'll move on. If you're the GM, I think you are preparing to sell centers at the deadline because centers get a premium. We saw Goodwinger's move for not much last year.

We saw Coleman not get a first. We saw washed up older centers get first. You have Frost and Strom expiring. They are both absolute chips you want to play at the deadline. If you're the GM, do you want Ryan Strome playing 4C instead of 3C heading into the trade deadline? I don't think it matters. I think the lose knows who Ryan's.

I agree. I'm asking the question. I think it's probably no one's trying to uncover the rock. They know. I think he gets a mid to late round draft pick no matter where he plays in the lineup next season. That's kind of the way I see. Like he's two years removed from what? Like a half point a game?

Was he 40 points, 41 points? For like three straight years. Yeah. So you know what he is. but yeah it's gonna be interesting his value increase is going to come on the other guys getting injured not yeah but also having a good year

that that's always a piece but you're right but like the difference the difference between playing strome at 3C and zeri like zary could be there for a long time if he hits and he gets back to that form whereas strome he's guaranteed to get traded so it's like i would rather prioritize zary in that situation and then when you trade strong i mean if you get a third round pick or a fifth round pick Does that really make a difference in your rebuild?

No, that's fair. I would say this. They trade it for the seventh form. If you can get anything better than that, you've won the deal. That's solid asset management. And you bought a placeholder of what Cadre was gone. It was a good piece of business.

The Ryanstrom transaction is going to be a win, no matter what happens from here. It's like you gave up nothing. You found someone to mop up center minutes. That allowed you to move Codry. And he's a great guy. Like, seems like he's fantastic in the locker in, which I think is a good job collecting those guys. Like you talk about White Cloud and only matter when he was here.

and now Middleton, you know, I think Strome fits that group as well. It's like, look, we know that we're not competing for a cup, but we're going to make the room a place you want to be and we're going to work hard. We're not going to quit on games. It's terrible. It's a tough spot to be in, right. It really is. As a player going into the season, you can,

oh, we're going to make the playoffs. 84 games. Jesus, get out of here. When's the All-Star break? If I wanted to lay the perfect path out, I'm going to cement them in my top nine. for a long time here. And you are going to move centers of the deadline.

Get Zeri to reestablish strong play if he can on the wing. And then after the deadline and or trades, there's going to be lots of minutes at center. I don't start him with the toughest test. Fair? Yeah. And I think if you want to find a path that, okay, here's our plan to make it work with Zeri,

that's what I would be. I think we're naive too because we're not including everyone that's part of their system. It's great to say we want Zeri to. to be a centerman. And obviously there's huge value if he can become a sentiment and if he's an elite centerman, even better. Right.

But is that Conroy's plan? I don't think it is or it wouldn't be on the block all summer. Right? I think they made a mind of fun argument and fun debate. Now you think that he should play. You might as well find out because I think this season is a throwaway season. Yeah. Terrible to say.

But even if you don't, I mean, he's going to have to elevate significantly to cement himself as a throwaway season. Just to be a top six winger, never mind the center. If he's going to be a top, yeah, top six forward, wherever it is, top nine. Like I think what we're trying to achieve is he should be on the third line. Because we want, I would move. He can prove it. I know they love him and he's going to play the Blake Coleman role, but I have no allegiance to Joel Farabee if he can get you assets.

You have too many winners still. I agree. Like what? You're going to trade him in a year or not now? Why? What does that gain? Well, and if anything, you might be able to get more for him this year because you're going to have two playoff runs if you're the acquiring team. Five million bucks for a third line winger at the deadline isn't crazy.

Whatever. Yeah. And that would allow you more minutes in the top nine for Zeri and Hansik and a theoretically healthy Huberto. Even the guys like Karen's maybe and stronger. Like if you want to give them a chance, Sunniyev. Fianz isn't not going to be able to do it. Those are the quad of you guys. They're not.

He's one of those guys. You see them there. It's another thing, though, like, don't you want to give them an opportunity? I'm telling you, because I'm old, eh, Bob? There's so many guys in the history of the game that are very good minor hockey in the minors. Elite, elite, elite level. Matthew Phillips. I think I said it's hard to play NHL.

It's hard. I thought Walker said that. That was way off. But, like, you can come along your whole life and be the best of the best of the best of the best. and never played the NHL. Yeah. And you're a point per game in the A and all of a sudden it's like, yeah, well, we...

That split second matters. Feet. Especially for a guy that Cairns who's not a best skater. Yeah. That's just it. Yeah. Soonie of them, I'm not, I still think there's some ceiling there.

But, like, Roy Cairns is going to go lead European leagues and scoring and make a ton of money. The sooner he gets over there, the better his career is going to be. It's not happening in the NHL because he's going to have to carve out a bottom six center role, and that's going to be the hardest thing to do with his skill set. He's not a top six. No, he's not. I mean, it's a great guy to have on your American League team, though.

And he's going to play for game. HALs a guy. And he can get called up if you run into injury issues or trades. Sure. And that's what's happened in the last two years. He's an insurance package. He's an insurance package. He's not a guy.

There's zero chance that Karens ever becomes an elite player in the NHL. Yeah. Like he'll get his stuff. Yeah. I'm kind of with it.