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It’s not a hot take to proclaim Trevor Zegras will not spend his whole career in Anaheim. The center has been the subject of trade rumors for the last year, but it’s been a lot of smoke and no fire so far.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek gave the All-Star a three-year bridge deal rather than a long-term contract last summer and questions persist about whether Anaheim actually see Zegras as a long-term fit.
The 23-year-old is highly skilled but purely an offensive presence who relies heavily on a finesse game. The Ducks may prefer to be more well-rounded at the center position and have invested lottery picks in both Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson. Those two seem poised to be the foundation in Anaheim for the long term.
If it’s a matter of when they move on from their viral sensation, then the safe bet would be that it happens when he becomes a restricted free agent in 2026. Or, at least, during the summer. But I’m going to predict it happens prior to the March 8, 2025 trade deadline.
It can be awkward when a player is hanging around an organization that does not necessarily want him. Particularly when that team is rebuilding.
Furthermore, the market for centers this spring projects to be dire; Mikael Granlund, Alex Kerfoot and maybe Yanni Gourde are the best names who could be available among prospective sellers. When there’s a void in the market, teams get creative. Anaheim may look to take advantage by throwing Zegras onto the table.
Is that take not bold enough? Fine. Let’s take it a step further and predict the Philadelphia Flyers will be the team that acquires him.
They are looking to take that next step but are still in something of a rebuilding mode. Zegras, who turns 24 in March, fits a long-term vision.
The Flyers are very weak at center—Sean Couturier took a massive step back last season and Morgan Frost hit 40 points—and in particular are lacking a true offensive creator at the position.
GM Daniel Briere has three first-round picks in 2025 plus a strong prospect pool. The Flyers can afford to make this type of deal, and Zegras may be happy to move closer to his home in the New York suburbs.