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Although the Anaheim Ducks have played some of their best hockey of the 2024-25 season recently, they remain seven points out of a crowded playoff picture in the Western Conference. While there is a chance this version of the Ducks could go on a second half run, the more likely scenario is that it will be another year or two before the roster is ready to truly contend.
And as general manager Pat Verbeek and his team weigh their options ahead of the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta confirmed that the front office is again taking calls on Trevor Zegras.
“They’re still listening on Trevor Zegras. When we added him to the 2.0 list a couple of weeks ago, he’s still on there now on the new one, we started to hear more of Zegras’ name kind of out there,” Pagnotta said on Wednesday.
The hockey insider continued: “They haven’t shied away from taking calls on Zegras. He has another year left on his contract at $5.75 million, then he’ll become a restricted free agent. He’s only 23. But he hasn’t had the type of season they anticipated. It’s funny, he played 31 games last season before being shut down, had six goals, nine assists, and 15 points. He’s played 31 games this season, exact same numbers. They wanted to see an incline in his offensive production, because it would help the trade talks in trying to move him out.”
Zegras burst onto the scene after being selected No. 9 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Bedford, New York native managed 61 points in 75 games in his rookie season and followed it up with 65 in 81 the next year.
But it's been tough sledding since; Zegras has battled injury and only suited up for 31 games in 2023-24, chipping in just 15 points in that span. It's been a similar story this time around — eerily similar. As of Thursday, Zegras has six goals and 15 points in 31 games, his exact same totals from last year.
Unfortunately, that isn't the kind of production the organization had been hoping for out of the former first-rounder, and it looks like he's again being included in trade talks ahead of the deadline.
“We’ll see where that goes, but he is available,” Pagnotta said. “They don’t want to give up on him, they still value him highly. And if it doesn’t happen now, we could see something happen in the summer, but those talks are still possible now as Anaheim continues to listen.”
Ducks beginning to surge in 2025
It isn't clear what type of return Verbeek would be looking for in exchange for Zegras, but the roster could certainly use another effective defenseman or two as the rebuild continues.
Regardless of what happens between now and March 7, the Ducks are just focusing on the task at hand, which is continuing to climb up the Western Conference.
Following a 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, Anaheim has won two in a row and five of six dating back to January 23. Although it came on the heels of a four-game losing streak, there is still a path to playoff contention if the team keeps winning games.
Now nearly .500 at 23-24-6, the Ducks will look to get back there in their last game before the 13-day 4 Nations Face-Off break. Anaheim will travel to Los Angeles to play the Kings on Saturday night.
