When the Philadelphia Flyers acquired Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks this summer, we were left wondering which version would show up; the back-to-back 60+ point offensive talent or the one that’s struggled in the last few years and had lost his place in Anaheim.
It’s not entirely fair to say that he’s struggled since injuries played a massive factor in his decline, however when he was in the lineup, his numbers paled in comparison to what he had done in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
Zegras played in 24 games during the shortened 2020-21 season, where he tallied 3 goals and 13 points. However, because he didn’t reach the minimum threshold of games played to be considered a rookie (25 games), his actual rookie season came in 2021-22, when he notched 23 goals and 61 points.
He finished 2nd in Calder Trophy voting but lost to Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, who scored 7 goals and 50 points. Zegras then improved to 65 points the following season before injuries derailed the next 2 years.
In a combined 88 games, Zegras scored just 18 goals and 47 points, leaving him in a difficult situation in Anaheim. You could say it reached a boiling point, so it’s not much of a surprise that they decided to move him for pennies on the dollar, but it’s something that worked in the Flyers’ favour.
There were a lot of signs that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek wasn’t too happy with Zegras. For starters, Zegras signed his post-ELC contract one week before the season was set to commence and their hand-picked head coach, Greg Cronin, wasn’t his biggest supporter either.
Additionally, Zegras was on the chopping block for a few seasons as Anaheim no longer had him in their future plans. According to several insiders at the time, Verbeek was unsure he could play the centre position and was trying his best to move him, before settling for a second round pick and Ryan Poehling.
Being in that situation can’t be easy for a player, which makes sense as to why Zegras looks happier, is playing more free and loose, and his teammates and coaching staff have nothing but positive things to say about him.
You can almost correlate his situation in Anaheim to Morgan Frost’s tenure in Philadelphia. Frost couldn’t get going under John Tortorella, the previous regime was also exploring trade options, and the team essentially lost patience in his potential and sought greener pastures for all involved.
While things looked dour in Anaheim, the situation in Philadelphia screamed for Zegras, and he has taken full advantage of his reset with the Flyers. It’s been a difficult road for the former first round pick as he was limited to just 31 games in 2023-24 due to an ankle injury and then lost almost 2 months during 2024-25 due to a torn meniscus, but he’s gotten off to a strong start this season with 5 assists in 7 games.
He’s carried momentum into the new season after he finished 2024-25 on a high, at least compared to how his recent seasons had gone. Coming out of the 4 Nations break, he scored 6 goals and 17 points in his final 25 games, and he’s brought over some of that confidence to Broad Street.
He’s also formed a really great relationship with Rick Tocchet and is always trying to learn and be better, which at times was a knock on his game in Anaheim.
Tocchet said after the Flyers’ 5-2 win over Seattle that Zegras texted him that he wanted to watch video with him the following day to talk things over and find ways to improve. This isn’t the first time he’s sought after for help as he latched onto Sean Couturier during training camp to ameliorate his face-off skills.
Zegras is currently riding a 5-game point streak, where he’s racked up all his assists, including the highlight-reel feed against the Florida Panthers during their home opener. Pinned and cornered by two Panthers skaters, Zegras made a nifty play to create enough space behind the net before a no-look feed to Couturier in the middle of the ice for the one-time blast.
It’s been a welcomed sight for a Flyers team that lacked creativity and skill for a few years. While he will make mistakes off the puck, his offensive game is on par with a lot of players the Flyers currently house, and it’s only a matter of time before their chemistry is on full display.
We’re all waiting for the time that Zegras and Matvei Michkov roam the ice together at 5-on-5 and the power play on a consistent basis. Tocchet hasn’t tried that out all too much but we did see a peak during their last game against Seattle.
Zegras is also very close with Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, which has only helped their games improve in the early going. With the injuries in the rear-view mirror and a contract season in play, Zegras has a great opportunity in Philadelphia to raise his stock.
Whether he’s playing on a line with Michkov, or with Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak, or even on the power play with the Noah Cates line, Zegras has looked at home in Philadelphia and his relationship with Tocchet looks miles better than what he had going on in Anaheim with Cronin.
It will be interesting to see if he can keep this going all season long, but it shouldn’t be a concern as long as his health remains where it is. When healthy, Zegras was a bonafide talent in the making – one that notched 23 goals in his rookie season.
Injuries took their toll, but they are part of the journey that has now led Zegras to greener pastures in Philadelphia, where for all intents and purposes, he looks like the perfect match with how he’s fit in seamlessly and with how the fans, team, and coaching staff have responded to him.
