Grading the Flyers, Ducks on the Trevor Zegras trade

Rumor yet became world Monday with the Anaheim Ducks trading guardant Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Ducks moved Zegras, who has agelong been discussed arsenic a imaginable commercialized target, to the Flyers successful speech for guardant Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round prime (originally belonging to the Columbus Blue Jackets), and a 2026 fourth-round pick.

What does it each mean and however did some beforehand offices fare successful this deal?

Philadelphia Flyers
Grade: B+

Potential is the connection that's going to beryllium utilized the astir to picture this trade.

It starts with the information that Zegras gives the Flyers different top-nine halfway successful summation to what they already person with Sean Couturier and Noah Cates, with the thought that Zegras has the imaginable to beryllium their top-line center.

Zegras is simply a two-time 20-goal scorer who has besides authored a brace of consecutive 60-point seasons. That perchance gives the Flyers, who finished 24th successful goals per game, different subordinate who tin people portion creating opportunities for those astir him.

At 24, helium besides perchance fits wrong the Flyers' semipermanent plans. The Flyers were the NHL's youngest squad successful 2024-25, with an mean property of 26.09 years, according to Elite Prospects.

Again, the cardinal connection present is: Potentially.

Injuries and inconsistencies implicit the past 2 seasons created questions arsenic to whether Zegras could instrumentality to becoming the subordinate who had those consecutive 60-point seasons backmost successful 2021-22 and 2022-23. Furthermore, it led to inquiries astir whether he'd instrumentality oregon surpass those totals portion remaining the Ducks.

Surrounding Zegras with wingers specified arsenic Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov and/or Owen Tippett could get him backmost connected track. After all, astatine 1 constituent helium was 1 of the league's breakout stars who looked similar helium was going to beryllium 1 of the aboriginal faces of the NHL -- helium was chosen arsenic the screen jock for NHL 23, aft all.

Then there's the added inducement that Zegras is successful the last play of a three-year declaration worthy $5.75 cardinal annually. He volition stay nether squad power arsenic a restricted escaped cause for the adjacent 2 seasons, earlier becoming an unrestricted escaped cause astatine the extremity of the 2027-28 season.

Even with taking connected Zegras' salary, it inactive leaves the Flyers with $15.141 cardinal successful headdress space, per PuckPedia.

Anaheim Ducks
Grade: A-

For each the questions the Ducks faced astir holding connected to Zegras, determination appeared to beryllium 1 alternatively ample looming question:

Is it prudent to wage a third-line halfway much than $5 cardinal annually, erstwhile determination are cheaper options disposable there, and different roster holes to fill?

Leo Carlsson -- the No. 2 wide prime from 2023 -- showed helium could grip the demands of being a full-time, top-line center. He scored 20 goals and 45 points past season, giving the Ducks a two-way halfway packaged wrong a 6-3 and 205-pound frame.

Follow that with Mason McTavish, who was the No. 3 wide prime successful 2021, scoring 22 goals and a career-high 52 points successful a second-line halfway role.

McTavish led the Ducks successful goals past season, and finished 2nd successful points; Carlsson was 3rd connected the squad successful points. Getting that benignant of accumulation retired of their apical 2 centers made Zegras expendable for Anaheim.

Then determination are the fiscal ramifications. Anaheim is projected to person a small much than $36 cardinal successful headdress abstraction this season, which appears to beryllium rather a spot -- and it is -- until 1 looks astatine the future, and however GM Pat Verbreek indispensable tread carefully. Lukas Dostal, Drew Helleson and McTavish are RFAs successful request of caller contracts this offseason. Those deals volition apt signifier what indispensable funds the Ducks person to beryllium progressive successful unrestricted escaped bureau connected July 1.

Looking astatine what they could bash next offseason, however, is what made the commercialized much enticing. Zegras was slated to beryllium portion of a six-player RFA people that includes Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe and Olen Zellweger, portion Jacob Trouba volition beryllium a UFA then.

That five-player RFA people and Trouba stay successful place, truthful those decisions volition person to beryllium made. But alternatively of having to interest astir what to wage Zegras, they'll perchance person a overmuch little terms constituent to woody with by examination with Poehling, a 26-year-old who scored 12 goals and 31 points successful 2024-25. He has 1 twelvemonth remaining connected his declaration worthy $1.9 cardinal earlier helium becomes a UFA adjacent summer.