It's been in the works for years, but it's time for the Anaheim Ducks to find Trevor Zegras a trade destination. Zegras felt like a perfect fit for the Ducks. The laid-back, offensively-gifted winger had the right vibe to be a star in California, and the fans loved him for his highlight-reel goals and sweet set of hands. However, Zegras seems to have worn out his welcome in Orange County, which has put his name on the Ducks trade block for the last two seasons. The Ducks have an intriguing young core, with some of the best defensemen in Canadian junior hockey in the pipeline and a deep forward group.
The Ducks could start this season with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger in the lineup. They also have Beckett Sennecke, Stian Solberg, Tristan Luneau, and Noah Warren eventually turning pro in North America. The Ducks round out their young core with Mason McTavish, Jackson LaCombe, Lukas Dostal, and Trevor Zegras.
The Ducks have plenty of weapons in their lineup, and it feels like one or two will move to make room. Zegras would get the most substantial return amongst players they are willing to move, and the truth is he may not be the type of player the Ducks want.
For all of Zegras' positives, there are also plenty of negatives. He doesn't always have the greatest work ethic, will shy away from physical play, and has stretches of inconsistent production. The Zegras experiment would fly on some teams, but not on a team run by Greg Cronin and Pat Verbeek. The pair are an old-school hockey duo. The types of people that players like Zegras frustrate.
It feels like a question of when, not if, the Ducks move on from Zegras.
Chicago Blackhawks add Trevor Zegras to young core
There isn't enough talk about the Blackhawks as a possible landing spot for Zegras. The Blackhawks upgraded their team this offseason by signing Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, and Alex Martinez. The Blackhawks don't want to be stuck in a rebuild for too long, and Zegras would be the perfect addition.
Most of the Blackhawks' acquisitions this offseason are over 29 years old, which is good to help lead the younger players in the organization. Connor Bedard, Lukas Reichel, Frank Nazar, Kevin Korchinski, Artyom Levshunov, and Ethan Del Mastro are the organization's future, but the older players will put them in a good spot currently. Mid-20 players like Alex Vlasic and Zegras would be a way to bridge the gap between the two sets of players and elevate the Blackhawks in the Western Conference.
Zegras would be an ideal player to put alongside Bedard. Zegras is one of a few great playmaking wingers in the league, as that role is generally built for centers while the snipers play on the wing. Bedard is a rare center who can score 60+ goals eventually, and adding Zegras to his left side would put him in a position to reach that benchmark every season. If you need a comparison, it's Auston Matthews with Mitch Marner on his wing.
New York Rangers have plenty of room
The Rangers are one of the teams with the most noise around Zegras. It makes sense with $7 million in cap space with 15 forwards, seven defense, and two goaltenders under roster. The team has plenty of room to add Zegras and improve an already above-average forward group.
Competitive NHL teams in big markets almost always spend to the cap, so it's strange to see the Rangers have this much space remaining. Chris Drury kept the money open to make an acquisition, and it'd make a lot of sense if Zegras is the guy.
The Rangers' window to win is wide open, and they've made the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three seasons. Their offense tends to dry up in the postseason, so one more dynamic contributor could be the thing to put them over the top.
Philadelphia Flyers are a darkhorse
The Flyers are an unlikely suitor for Zegras, but the fit does make sense. The Flyers are another team starving for more offensive depth, and Zegras would fit in nicely as a player of the future. The teams lined up on a trade for the Ducks to acquire Cutter Gauthier last season, and Zegras' close friend Jamie Drysdale went the other way. A reunion with Drysdale would put Zegras in a more comfortable spot.
However, there is one factor that would make Zegras less comfortable. There are concerns about Cronin and Verbeek not liking the way Zegras plays. One thing for sure is that Zegras' style and John Tortorella's won't mesh in Philadelphia. It would be a learning experience for Zegras, but it could be for the betterment of his career.
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