NHL: Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks – Source: Imagn
The Anaheim Ducks are navigating their way through a difficult rebuilding process that has seen them miss the postseason for the last several years. However, one positive aspect of their team is that they feature a handful of notable, talented players.
One such player is 23-year-old forward Trevor Zegras, whom the Ducks took with the ninth overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft. While the 2023-24 campaign saw him appear in only 31 games due to injury, he’s only a full season removed from having reached a career-high 23 goals and 42 assists in the 2022-23 campaign.
However, his six goals and nine assists in 31 contests last season weren’t what the Ducks and general manager Pat Verbeek hoped to see from one of their franchise building blocks. During a recent episode of the popular “Spittin’ Chicklets” podcast, co-host (and former Ducks defenseman) Ryan Whitney challenged Zegras to demonstrate his full potential in 2024-25, saying that it’s “put up or shut up time”.
“Is this not, by far and away, the most important year of Trevor Zegras’ career?” Whitney asked. “I love this kid, but it’s kind of put up or shut up kind. He came in with the long mullet, we all saw the pictures. I love his flair and I love how he’s willing to put himself out there, things don’t bother him with his ‘I don’t give a f**k attitude’.”
Whitney then spoke as if he were a member of Ducks management, essentially telling Zegras that it’s in his best interest to put his best foot forward in 2024-25 to live up to the hype surrounding him when he was drafted.
“But it’s like, ‘Alright dude, it’s time for you to really play some two-way hockey, produce points, and be the player we imagined and know you can be when we drafted you.'”
NHL insider weighs in on Zegras’ Ducks future
Going back to the aforementioned trade rumors, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported over the summer that Zegras himself is allegedly open to being moved, but that they’re not “sitting around waiting” for a potential deal.
“There is a strong belief, according to those close to Zegras, that he is open to a change of scenery, but word out of the Zegras Camp is they are not sitting around waiting for a move,” Pagnotta said.
Zegras will have the opportunity to start this season healthy and with a clean slate, though he’ll certainly aim to increase his point total from last season while also avoiding the injury bug.
He has appeared in 211 NHL games in his career and has scored 55 goals with 99 assists. He’s yet to appear in a postseason game.
A native of New York, he’s also represented the United States on the international stage. He helped them win the gold medal over Canada during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship games.
The Ducks have him under contract through the 2025-26 season with a cap hit of $5.75 million.
