The NHL 15: Trevor Zegras gets a much-needed fresh start in Philadelphia

Will it work for both sides?

Before each NHL season I look at 15 players that I think are the most intriguing players in the NHL. Not necessarily the best players (though, sometimes they are), but players that offer some sort of intrigue, a big storyline or figure to be a major X-factor for the season. This is The NHL 15. We continue today with Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras, who is getting a much-needed fresh start with a new team.

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After non-stop trade rumors over the past two years the Anaheim Ducks finally made the decision to move on from forward Trevor Zegras, sending him to the Philadelphia Flyers on June 23 for two draft picks (a second and a fourth) and veteran forward Ryan Poehling.

On some level, I understand why they did it. Zegras’ development in Anaheim had very clearly stalled and reached a plateau. He wasn’t becoming the player they hoped he would — or could — become for a variety of reasons, including his usage, his position and the fact injuries completely ravaged the past two years. It wouldn’t be the first time a team made the decision in a situation like that to just throw their hands up and say, “it’s just not working here.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean I have to like it for them, because there is an incredible level of risk with a decision like that regarding a player as young and talented as Zegras.

It could easily backfire if he puts it all together and figures it out.

If he does, you want it to happen for you and not somebody else. Especially after you’ve traded him for a relatively uninspiring return.

It is not like the Ducks HAD to trade Zegras. His contract, while expensive ($5.75 million salary cap number for this season), wasn’t exactly a huge burden, especially for a team that is still $13 million under the salary cap for this season. They could have easily afforded having him on the roster and taking one more run at fixing things, and even if they didn’t see him as a long-term option it still might have boosted his trade value into something more than some mid-round picks and a checking line forward.

On the other side of this, it seems like a no-brainer decision for the Flyers to roll the dice here.

I have said it before over the past couple of months, but I don’t think the Flyers have been as far away as their record might have indicated the past two years. They have been a really strong 5-on-5 team defensively and consistently posted strong possession and defensive metrics, only to be completely undone by some of the worst goaltending in the league (which is very on brand for the Flyers). With an average goaltending situation they might have made the playoffs in 2023-24 and potentially been closer in 2024-25.

Goaltending, however, was not the only obvious flaw on those rosters. They have also been lacking offensive talent and impact players at forward.

There are some good players here, but outside of Matvei Michkov there isn’t really anybody that has All-Star level ability or upside.

Even though he hasn’t consistently shown it or produced like it, Zegras still has that sort of potential.

It is up to the Flyers to get it out of him.

There are a couple of things I like about his chances in Philadelphia, and a couple of things that give me some serious concern.

Let’s talk about it.