The Calgary Flames have reached the midpoint of the season, playing their 41st game and finishing with exactly 41 points. Not exactly an inspiring record. However, as they muddle in the middle, other teams around the league are making noise in all sorts of ways. One team getting attention are the Anaheim Ducks.
Frank Seravelli reported on Tuesday that he has heard that Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras could be on the market. Today I wanted to look at why Zegras could be a potential fit in Calgary if he is indeed available.
Why would Zegras be available?
Zegras potentially being on the block in Anaheim has come as a surprise if the reports are true—he is one of the NHL’s most marketable players, whether you agree with that or not. He’s flashy, skilled, and has been great in front of the media, a reason as to why the league has pushed him as much as they had, but it is not just his flash for the cameras that has made this such a surprise to many.
Before coming into this season, Zegras was coming off a 61-point season in his rookie year and last year he scored 65 points, notching 23 goals in both seasons—not bad for a young player on a team that quite frankly has been awful.
This year has been a different story, there was the contract dispute at the beginning of the year that kept him out of the start of training camp, there was an injury that kept him out of action, and above all he only has seven points in 20 games this season. Not great! To put the cherry on top of all of that, Zegras suffered a leg injury Tuesday night that will keep him out of action for the next six to eight weeks, it has been a rough go, to say the least for the 22-year-old this season.
The Ducks shocked the hockey world when they acquired top prospect Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers Monday night, so maybe with Gauthier now in the mix, that may have made Zegras expendable to Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. Contract holdouts can sour a relationship, and with the Ducks only committing to Zegras on a three-year bridge deal, maybe this was the plan the whole time.
While yes, it has been a tough season for Zegras, and some people may not like the cockiness he tends to show every now and then, he is still a very good player and someone who I think can become a 75–80 point player consistently in this league.
Why the Flames should be interested
Look, we still don’t know for certain if Zegras is even on the market for trade, Seravelli has been wrong plenty of times, so until it is confirmed by someone else with more credibility, take everything here with a grain of salt.
I mentioned above, Zegras is an extremely skilled player with very good top-six upside. While I don’t think he is going to be that #1 go-to franchise guy, he is still a player who can make a difference on a team that lacks high-end skill. I think when it comes to Zegras, people forget that he is only twenty-two and this is just his third full season in the league—there is still plenty more progression to come with Zegras.
Do I think Zegras is overrated by people in the NHL? Yes I do, but I also don’t think he is as bad as people tend to say he is either, he is somewhere right in the middle.
His primary position is centre, which if you haven’t noticed, the Flames are severely lacking down the middle when it comes to younger players or prospects. Zegras fits that bill. He would bring so much attention to Calgary strictly due to the fact that the NHL loves this player, and if he were to be a Flame and actually enjoyed Calgary, maybe it would convince more players to want to stay in Calgary.
When it comes to a return, I think it would be quite high, and it is maybe something that the Flames wouldn’t be interested in. A first-round pick would have to be in play along with potentially someone like Sam Honzek or Matt Coronato, the Ducks may even want a roster player to go along with it. The salary cap has some implications too, as Zegras is making $5.75 million for the next two years after this year, the Flames would have to make room somehow to squeeze him in.
The Flames need to at least check in on Zegras
At the end of the day, Zegras plays fast, can score and produce, and has proven to make his teammates better. I highly doubt the Ducks would want to move a player like this within their own division, but if for whatever reason he is available, the Flames have to at least check in on this player.
I wonder about Zegras being a piece to help Jonathan Huberdeau get back to where he was back when he was on the Panthers. Maybe this is all just smoke and mirrors, I have no idea, but it is at least a fun discussion point for the Flames to start off 2024 with.
