Zegras Traded, What’s Next?

By Michael Walters

It started out like a typical June morning with a cool breeze circulating throughout Orange County and around the Honda Center. It appeared like it was going to be a mellow morning, but then things changed drastically.

Just past 8 AM PST, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted an article stating the Anaheim Ducks are having “significant discussions” about trading Trevor Zegras. He mentioned Zegras could be traded this week. Then about an hour later Friedman stated Zegras was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. The final trade ended up being Zegras for Ryan Poehling, a 2025 2nd round draft pick (45th overall) and a 2026 4th round draft pick

So much for that quiet morning in Anaheim.

There has been plenty of chatter of Zegras being traded in the past and it never materialized until today. One of the more recent ones involved Montreal working on trying to acquire Zegras at the draft last year according to Friedman.

Anaheim did acquire Chris Kreider in a trade on June 12th and that seemed to quiet the Zegras rumors. The two are friends who train together and participate in the Shoulder Check event during the summer. The idea of seeing them play on a line together this season would have been a sight to see. Instead, Zegras is heading to Philadelphia to be with his other friend Jamie Drysdale.

Anaheim General Manager Pat Verbeek’s official statement on the trade:

“Well, I think first of all, I want to thank Trevor for this past six seasons and his contributions to our club. Obviously it was a difficult trade to make from that perspective, but I think as we gather with our group, and I think the big thing is we’re trying to retool the roster in a way that all the pieces fit cohesively and to where you have different players on different lines to complement each other. So I think from that aspect, that’s ultimately the decision that we came to is just kind of reshaping and retooling our roster.”

Analysis:

Zegras first made his debut in Anaheim during the 2020-21 season playing in 24 games and posting 13 total points (3 G + 10 A). He then nearly played two full seasons posting back-to-back 23 goals seasons while averaging 40 assists. The last two seasons he was hampered by injuries and was only able to play in 88 total games posting 47 total points (18 G + 29 A).

Zegras ended up playing at the wing position more often than at the center position. A move that frustrated many as the popular belief was he would be more productive at center. With Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish emerging as the two top centers for team, it left Zegras to play at wing if he was to remain in the top 6 for Anaheim.

Verbeek on the playing opportunities for Zegras in Anaheim:

“Yeah, ultimately Trevor has been wanting to play center, and I think that he’ll be given that opportunity in Philadelphia. I think that when he’s more creative in the middle of the ice than having to play from the wing, we’re fortunate there’s Leo [Carlsson] and there’s Mason [McTavish]. So we find that they’re two pretty good centermen. So Trevor to kind of get pushed to the wing, and that probably doesn’t suit his best attributes being able to create from the middle. So bringing in Chris Kreider kind of changed the line combinations from that aspect. And as I said before, we’re looking to have different ingredients of players to complement each other’s assets. You can’t always have the most skilled guys on a line and expect that line to be great. There’s always another ingredient that helps make those skilled guys better. So I’m looking for those types of scenarios to have our lines have a different look and a different feel.”

Last season there were times when McTavish played on the third line and based on the comments above it seems like the man odd to playing in the top 6 is Zegras. However, could Zegras have played as a 3rd line center behind Carlsson and McTavish? We will never know now. Verbeek is putting a lot of stock in McTavish as a second line center.

Here is what the Ducks forward line up looks like at the moment.

Cutter Gauthier – Leo Carlsson – Alex Killorn
Chris Kreider – Mason McTavish – Troy Terry
Frank Vatrano – Ryan Strome – Sam Colangelo
Isac Lundestrom/Jansen Harkins – Ryan Poehling – Brett Leason/Ross Johnston

Leason, Lundestrom, and McTavish are currently RFAs this summer. Drew Helleson and Lukas Dostal are also RFAs. Dostal and McTavish should get the bigger contracts out of this group. This trade gives Verbeek about $4 million more in cap space and the team sits at about $36 million available space per Puck Pedia.

The Ducks cleared cap space, picked up two draft picks, and added a depth forward. But the concern amongst many of the Anaheim faithful is not that Zegras was traded necessarily, but the fact the Ducks couldn’t get a 1st round draft pick as a return. Also why not let him play this season under Joel Quenneville and see what happens?

Instead Verbeek decided to make the trade now, which included a depth forward. One area that Verbeek has constantly said which needs improvement is the special teams and he feels that Poehling can help in that department on the penalty kill. He also feels he adds speed and size to the lineup as well. Poehling had 23 goals and 36 assists in his last two seasons in Philadelphia.

Verbeek had this to say about Poehling:

“Well, Ryan’s 6-2, 215 pounds. He has really good speed. And as I had mentioned before, some of the special teams, Ryan is the number one guy that goes over for the Flyers on a penalty kill, and we’re looking to improve in that area. So he certainly is going to add speed and he’s going to add penalty killing ability for our roster. And so I’m trying to shore up certain aspects of our special teams with players that can do a good job there.”

Overall this trade doesn’t sit well with many. If Verbeek is able to use the picks he acquired and/or extra cap space to make some big addition(s) to this lineup, then this trade may be more palpable to the masses.

What’s Next?

The Ducks have been reportedly been in on almost every top forward it seems like recently. Some of those names available include Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Mikael Granlund, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Claude Grioux, Brock Boeser, Jamie Benn, and Patrick Kane. There is also the question of whether Jason Robertson will be available via trade out in Dallas. There was also rumblings that Troy Terry could be available in Anaheim, but that was quickly shut down by the Ducks. Some speculated that Terry’s name came up in discussions with Dallas about trading for Robertson. Aaron Ekblad, who is friends with Jacob Trouba, is another name to watch who could be on Anaheim’s radar as well.

With this trade Verbeek gained more cap space and picks. He has more options to add to the lineup through free agency and/or trades. He had this to say about the current cap space:

“Well, when you start analyzing that stuff and you try, obviously it takes two to tango to try and go after free agency. Obviously it’s not always about the money, it’s certainly about fit for players to go to teams. And so we’re going to look at everything we can to keep improving this team to make the playoffs. So that’ll be our goal moving forward. We have lots of cap space so we can manage it and work to improve the team.”

Verbeek on the trade and acquiring more draft picks:

“Well, I think this where you start imagining lines and how you want certain players to complement each other. We started looking at that scenario, and ultimately we made the decision to move Trevor because of that. And I think getting a couple other picks to go with it, those picks could come into play. It gives us the flexibility to do some other things and look at other things to enhance our roster. So I think that that went into it as well.”

The Ducks currently have the 10th overall pick in this draft, but could that pick be used in a trade? Verbeek had this to say:

“Yes, I am looking at that as well. Certainly. I think there’s a lot of teams looking at that and that kind of stuff. Certainly you can go after a player that’s probably in his prime right now and be able to add to the group. So there’s certainly some of that stuff we’re exploring.”

It appears that anyone is tradable in Anaheim at the moment. It sounds crazy right? Just ask Zegras.

Related Articles:

Kreider Traded To Anaheim

Montreal Tried To Acquire Zegras

Verbeek Discusses The Zegras Trade

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June 23rd, 2025