The news has emerged this week that the Anaheim Ducks have made Trevor Zegras available for trade. According to Frank Seravalli, contract talks between the team and Zegras got “nasty” this past summer. The young forward has struggled this season posting only seven points in twenty games before going down with a season-ending injury. With the news that Zegras has been made available, is this an avenue that General Manager Kent Hughes and the Canadiens will look to pursue?
A Trevor Zegras Trade to the Canadiens
Fit With Canadiens
Trevor Zegras was drafted in 2019 and turns 23 in March. He fits the age of the Canadiens core as the team already has Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook who were a part of the 2019 draft class. He also has a very strong relationship with Caufield as it’s well-documented that the two are very close friends. The opportunity to play with Caufield could entice Zegras to push for a trade to Montreal. Zegras’ contract doesn’t feature a no-trade clause however so the Ducks aren’t obligated to do him any favours. The team that acquires him will have full control over his rights though. The forward is signed for another two years at a reasonable cap hit of $5.75 million. Following the deal, he once again becomes an RFA.
Hughes however should push for a Zegras trade as he is the type of player the team has been missing. Zegras would add talent and skill to the team’s top six and would complement the current young group. The Canadiens already have Dach and Nick Suzuki down the middle but we know Dach is capable of playing the wing if needed. Zegras is also capable of playing the role of a winger and having him on Caufield’s opposing wing between either Dach or Suzuki is an intriguing prospect.
Canadiens Assets
Kent Hughes has made similar deals before, acquiring young forwards who need a change of scenery. He did exactly that when he acquired Kirby Dach at the 2022 draft. He also did it once more by acquiring Alex Newhook this past summer. The Canadiens are in a position to make a similar deal as they have two first-round picks this year as well as two next year and a plethora of young players and prospects. Any prospect outside of Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher, and Joshua Roy will be on the table in a Zegras deal.
The team still has a lot of young players and prospects that could intrigue the Ducks. This includes Justin Barron and Jordan Harris on the backend. The two have fallen victim to the team’s upcoming depth on defence but still have top-four potential at the NHL level. As far as forwards go, they also have prospects like Owen Beck, Filip Mesar, Riley Kidney, and Sean Farrell.
Potential Trade Packages for Trevor Zegras
Despite his struggles, Zegras is an immensely talented young forward who posted back-to-back seasons of over 60 points. With that being said, he won’t come cheap. In an ideal world, the Ducks probably see Zegras as a vital part of their core and would like to keep him long-term. In contrast, it appears that the relationship between the two parties is broken beyond repair. As for trade packages that the Canadiens can offer, it would start with both the Winnipeg Jets first-rounder and the Calgary Flames 2025 first. The Ducks would also want a solid young prospect back as well as a young NHL roster player. A likely package for Zegras would be along the lines of what you see below:
WPG 2024 1st Round Pick, CGY 2025 First Round Pick, Sean Farrell, Jordan Harris
Trevor Zegras won’t come to Montreal via trade for cheap. However, with the plethora of picks and prospects at the team’s disposal, the Canadiens can afford to overpay for him. Hughes has a track record for these types of deals around draft time. With Zegras’ injury, there would be no rush for him to do a deal any sooner than that. Only time will tell where Trevor Zegras will end up but the Montreal Canadiens should be one of the top suitors.
Main photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
