We’re nearing the end of our month-long series of expectations for key pieces of the Anaheim Ducks this season. Most of the players discussed are members of a young core that will hopefully start leading the team back to competitive hockey. The last forward among the group is the Ducks’ resident slick-handed, confident, modern NHL young star, Trevor Zegras. Most teams have one player who will push the boundaries, try things that are rarely seen, and be creative in a way that makes old heads groan and moan. That’s Zegras to a T.
Zegras resumed his place as the most creative and dangerous playmaker (not to be confused with Terry, the team’s most dangerous finisher) when he returned to game action late in the 2023-24 season after missing a combined 51 games. With any health and contractual concerns firmly in the rearview, Zegras should be looking at 2024-25 as a redemption opportunity to prove that he can be a dependable leader on both sides of the puck.
Zegras Looked Good in His March 2024 Return
A longer-than-expected contract negotiation shortened Zegras’ 2023 training camp, which played a factor in the first of his two significant injuries last season. The second was just a freak play that forced another extended absence. He returned for the final 11 games of the campaign and recorded points in seven of them (two goals, six assists). Included in this stretch was a five-game point streak to end the season.
There are no two ways about it. The Ducks are a better team when he is in the lineup. Everyone has an extra jump. The players around Zegras are more dangerous because of his ability to make plays and facilitate the puck. He can also create plays for himself with his lightning-quick hands and shiftiness. All of this was evident in the Ducks’ final few weeks of 2023-24, and it left everyone optimistic that we might see this from him regularly in 2024-25. My prediction is we will.
Zegras’ Training Camp Trio Offers Tremendous Excitement
I’ve written about the plethora of options head coach Greg Cronin will have on offense. For now, he has decided to flank Leo Carlsson with Alex Killorn and Cutter Gauthier, with McTavish centering Troy Terry and Zegras. Both lines have a lot to offer, but let’s focus on the latter.
Zegras, Terry, and McTavish have different but complementary styles. Zegras, as we have discussed extensively, is a playmaker – at his best with the puck on his stick, where he uses his vision, creativity, hands, hockey IQ, and passing ability to drive offense. Terry, on the other hand, is equally dangerous with or without the puck and uses his skating, elite shot, offensive instincts, and finisher’s mentality to get himself in prime scoring position. McTavish, at six feet, 213 pounds, is the sturdiest player of the bunch and uses his strength, hands, and effectiveness in tight spaces to make plays for himself and his teammates.
No player in the trio is the same – they each bring their own brand of up-tempo and creative hockey – which makes them a tantalizing combination for the season. If the line holds, then they will compete with the Carlsson line for top minutes on a nightly basis, thereby giving Zegras, not to mention the rest of his line, countless opportunities to drive the bus.
Zegras Will Take Advantage of Limitless Opportunities on Offense
There’s no reason that Zegras won’t take advantage of the opportunities he is bound to get this season. He recorded 126 points from 2021-2023, when the Ducks’ offense was anemic. With a full complement of young, healthy forwards, not to mention defensemen that can skate and facilitate offense, Zegras is in a great position to produce the best season of his career.
Related: Is Anaheim Ducks’ Trevor Zegras a Center or a Winger?
He is also an unquestioned member of the Ducks’ top power-play unit, and he’ll be skating alongside players who can think, play, and execute at his level offensively. We’ve seen him find success with less than what he’ll have in 2024-25. Last summer, I noted that Zegras would be the next Duck to hit the 100-point mark, which I still think is true. It may not be this season, but if he remains healthy, I could see him make a Jack Hughes-esque production jump as he enters year five (but only his third full season). Expect Zegras to hit or exceed the point-per-game mark this season. Let’s call it 80-85 points. Am I crazy?
Better Discipline and Continued Two-Way Commitment Will Make Zegras a Superstar
Zegras is on his way to superstardom, but a lack of discipline and strong two-way play still stands in his way. Last season, he was equally praised by and benched by Cronin because he had moments when his ability to execute defensively was noteworthy but also moments of boneheaded penalties. He is one of many players who need to stop that. If he does, he will be well on his way to a big statistical season, leading to a much-improved Ducks team.
