June 23rd has struck again for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers have made a major splash, acquiring forward Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick (45th overall), and a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Zegras has one year left on his contract at a $5,750,000 cap hit before he becomes a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He has appeared in 268 NHL games, posting 67 goals and 119 assists for 186 points.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had reported just after 11:00am ET on Monday that the Ducks were having ‘significant discussions’ regarding a Zegras deal and that likelihood was growing that he could be moved this week. Just over an hour passed before he then reported that Philadelphia landed Zegras.
An ultra-skilled forward known for his flashy play and brilliant hands, the 2019 9th-overall pick burst onto the scene during the shortened 2020-21 season. In his first pro season he recorded 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls and earned 24 games with the Ducks, notching 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists).
Zegras then racked up 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 75 games in 2021-22. He was named to the 2022 NHL All-Rookie Team and finished runner-up in Calder Trophy voting to Detroit’s Moritz Seider for Rookie of the Year honors.
Zegras then posted a career-best season in 2022-23 with 65 points (23 goals, 42 assists) in 82 games. He led Anaheim in goals and points that season. Injuries started to take their toll on Zegras in 2023-24 as he was limited to just 31 games before only playing in 57 games this past season. He was still able to post 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) but a change of scenery seemed imminent for the young forward between his injury troubles and inconsistent stretches of play.
Zegras gives the Flyers an immediate boost. Whether he finds himself playing center or wing will remain to be seen, but he’ll be joining a budding offensive corps with the likes of Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, and Bobby Brink. He can also provide a much-needed spark for a Philadelphia power play that’s been either at or near the bottom of the league for four consecutive seasons.
Zegras has been involved in trade rumors – especially regarding Philadelphia – for a while now. On Pattison’s Anthony SanFilippo reported back in February that Flyers GM Daniel Brière had checked in on Zegras’ availability at the 2024 trade deadline and at one point even discussed trading Joel Farabee in a deal for Zegras, but the Ducks shot that down due to not wanting Farabee’s contract on their books before he was eventually shipped to Calgary alongside Morgan Frost.
As for who was shipped out, Poehling was originally signed by the Flyers to a one-year deal ahead of the 2023-24 season. After an impressive first half of the season, Philadelphia signed him to a two-year, $3,800,000 contract extension in January 2024 and he is now entering the last year of his contract. Poehling racked up career-highs in goals (12), assists (19), and points (31) this past season before being traded.
This deal not only makes the Flyers better, but it shows that Brière isn’t afraid to be aggressive in making moves either. This offseason is a pivotal one for the Flyers. They hired a brand new coaching staff led by former Flyers fan favorite and 2024 Jack Adams Award winner Rick Tocchet, they carry a surplus of picks in the upcoming NHL Draft, and they now have a projected $15,141,905 in cap space while needing to re-sign RFAs Cam York and Jakob Pelletier. The team knows that the window to begin contending is opening soon, and this move only moves them closer to opening that window.
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