Former top-10 NHL Draft pick Trevor Zegras has yet to reach his full potential, but the Philadelphia Flyers clearly see something in him. They acquired the 24-year-old center in a June trade with the Anaheim Ducks, banking on his ample talents to shine in the City of Brotherly Love. If all goes as planned, the organization should be willing to sign the 2026 free agent to a new contract. He is making the most of his time in Philly, leaning on some of the team's most respected veterans.
The captain is a logical person to go to first. Zegras is asking Sean Couturier for some tips with a specific part of his game, which is something all young players should do while acclimating themselves to a new organization and environment. Though, the reason he thought to do so is quite unusual.
“I was playing the new video game (NHL 26) and his X-factor is faceoffs, so I went right to him and was like ‘what do you got for me,'” Zegras said, per the NHL X account. It does not matter who or what we learn from, just as long as we absorb the knowledge. Video games served as a vital catalyst for what could become a wonderful mentor-pupil relationship.
Though, hopefully Zegras did not need EA Sports' NHL 26 to know that his new teammate has plenty of wisdom to offer. Couturier, a 2019-20 Frank J. Selke Trophy recipient, tallied 30 assists, 15 goals, 45 blocks and 54 hits last season. He displays outstanding instincts on the ice, a quality that can have a strong influence on a talented yet inconsistent forward.
Trevor Zegras flashed promise early in his career, finishing second for the Calder Memorial Trophy and posting back-to-back 60-plus-point campaigns in Anaheim. Injuries derailed his momentum, however. He has played in only 88 games combined the last two seasons. The Flyers are counting on him to regain his past form and help boost the franchise into the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.
Maybe Sean Couturier can lend a hand, both literally and virtually.
