Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy opened up about the status of ongoing contract negotiations with RFA forward Connor Zary. Flames beat reporter Danny Austin quoted Conroy in a July 30 X post:"We’re talking, it’s been slow, though. Even with Pospisil, there comes a point where it heats up and you think ‘Now, we’re close’ and then you’re able to get it done really quick. Pospisil was probably 2 or 3 months we were talking with (agent Dan Millstein)."The quote underscored the glacial pace at which the Calgary Flames have conducted recent contract extension negotiations. The club signed Pospisil for a three-year bridge deal on Wednesday, worth a total of $7.5 million. The deal come after months of recurring talks and rumors.Zary, however, is a different story. The former first-round pick from 2020 is coming off a solid season in which he scored 13 goals and 27 points in 54 games. 2024-25 was his second solid year in a row. The previous season, he scored 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games.The expectation is that if Zary can play a full season, he could top 20 goals and 40 points. His season was cut short last year due to an unfortunate lower-body injury. That's why a full, healthy season could lead to a breakout for Zary.Connor Zary ended his entry-level deal, which carried an $875K cap hit. The Flames extended Zary a qualifying offer, keeping his RFA status.Connor Zary and the Flames will need to work something out sooner rather than later, as training camp is a little more than a month away.Pospisil’s extension could determine Connor Zary’s next contractZary's injury largely derailed his season in 2024-25 - Source: ImagnThe Calgary Flames could use Martin Pospisil’s contract extension as a comparable for Connor Zary.Pospisil and Zary had similar numbers last season. While Pospisil only scored four goals, he added 21 assists for 25 points. That production earned Pospisil a $2.5 million AAV. So the starting point for Zary’s next contract could be $2.5 million.The Flames could afford to splurge on Zary somewhat. With over $15 million in cap space, the Flames could take on a higher cap hit. But that may lead both sides to agree on a bridge deal. So, a three-year contract could make sense for both sides.A three-year deal would walk Connor Zary directly to UFA status. That could mean a significant bet for Zary and the Flames as his performance could drive up the price on his next contract.If the Flames feel Zary will become a top-six forward, they could follow the Carolina Hurricanes’ lead and sign Zary to an eight-year extension. The Hurricanes signed Jackson Blake to an eight-year extension after just one full season.That’s why, if the Flames have such faith in Connor Zary, they could lock up their rising star now before it’s too late.