Center or wing? Where is Connor Zary's future with the Flames?

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Despite the position listed in his bio on the league's website (insert confused face emoji here), Jonathan Huberdeau has never played center in his NHL career.

And the Calgary Flames co-captain is not taking advantage of this opportunity.

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“I've never played in the center and I think it will be very difficult for me,” said Huberdeau, who has almost 800 games of experience on the left wing. “Because I'm not very good at carrying the puck up the middle, I think that's Zars' skill.”

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It's not uncommon to hear Huberdeau praise his teammates, but this particular comment makes you stop and think.

Connor Zary really likes to keep the puck on his stick as he moves up the ice. That was on display during his late-season audition as a center in Huberdeau's lineup.

Zari, 22, is undoubtedly a big part of the Flames' future plans. The question is, where is he better – as a middle man or on the wing? There really isn't a wrong answer, as both places should have long-term openings.

One of the bright lights of the season, which ends Thursday against the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan), Zari was initially drafted as a winger and made an immediate impact on the left side thanks to his composure and confidence and nose for the net.

With the Flames in experiment mode since being eliminated from playoff contention, the rookie has played the last six games in a starting role, mostly as a junior in Kamloops, Saskatoon. and early in his professional career in Stockton.

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“You have a lot of responsibility as a center, especially in the defensive zone,” Zari said. “But in general, once you get the puck played in the offensive zone, nothing changes. The neutral zone doesn't really change. This is the responsibility of the defensive zone and the fight.

“Of course, there are several different readings to be taken. But other than that, I've played it before, right? Not in this league, but I played center in the American League and the minor leagues, so I understand the concept around center. So it's not something new that I'm trying to embrace. It's little things here and there.”

In Tuesday's 4-1 loss in Vancouver, Zari spent most of the evening against old friend Elias Lindholm, who was supposed to represent the Flames in the 2024 NHL All-Star Game but was instead traded to the Canucks ahead of the big tournament. event.

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Zari won five of seven games in the final road game of the season in Calgary, but finished with a minus-2 rating. When Dakota Joshua started a two-on-one rush, he rushed to cover the ground in the backfield.

“For me, for a young guy playing in the middle of the ice, if he can do the heavy lifting down low in our zone,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said a few days ago when asked to clarify key points in his assessment of the competition. potential turnaround. “That's the biggest thing. We ask a lot of our centers. They have to have hockey sense to be able to read where the next play is going, and Connor has sense, and we know how he plays the game with and without the puck.

“For me, can he take down some of the bigger players? Because (centers) are often an extension of their defenders, and they have to make sure they're ready to help and protect the front end of our net. There are a lot of big, heavy players who have matured at this level and it will take some time for a young man to figure out how to use his body best, play down low. But I think in the short time he's been there, Connor's done a really good job so far.”

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Most NHL executives believe that championship-caliber teams are built in the middle, and with Flames general manager Craig Conroy typically dating throughout his own playing career, he would be no exception to that rule.

Whatever is decided about Zari, who has two goals, one assist and is 51.4% successful over the last six rounds, Conroy knows he needs more building blocks at this important position. Calgary's top two centers, Nazem Kadri and Mikael Backlund, are 33 and 35, respectively.With both still performing at a high level, there's an opportunity to mentor guys on the job, who will eventually see more ice time.

The problem is that flames are thin in a rotating perspective. Cole Schwindt is likely at the top of the list, and he projects as a bottom six pick. You'd have to think Conroy would select the C's with one of his two first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, but he'll need a bit of lottery luck to land a ready-made difference maker.

“A good center to me is someone who wants the puck, gets the puck through the middle and skates, hangs in and then gets it with his wings or something like that,” Huberdeau said. “It's good with Zars because he hangs onto pucks so we can make some plays and be creative, that's being with the puck. I think when your center man hangs onto the puck a little bit and tries to beat some guys, you can.

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If nothing else, it makes for a good discussion for the offseason.

Center or Wing … Where is Zari's Future with Flames?

“It's been good so far,” Zary said of the audition, something that could carry over to training camp in the fall. “I like the idea of ​​moving my feet in the middle of the ice. Especially with the systems we play with, it's easy to move your legs and play the game as the central player.

“It's been great playing with Xabi, knowing I'm going through the middle and getting the puck back on the stick. I think it's good and I've enjoyed it so far.”

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