Philadelphia Flyers acquire Trevor Zegras in trade with Anaheim Ducks days before 2025 NHL draft
The Philadelphia Flyers have acquired center Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks just days before the 2025 NHL draft.
The Flyers are sending center Ryan Poehling, the 2025 Columbus Blue Jackets' second-round pick (45th overall) and a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Ducks for the Zegras.
Zegras, who Anaheim selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft out of Boston University, is coming off two injury-riddled seasons, where he played just 88 games from 2023-24 to 2024-25.
Last season, Zegras scored 12 goals and 32 points in 57 games for the Ducks with a 12.2% shooting percentage. Zegras played mostly wing for the Ducks last season. Flyers general manager Danny Briere said Monday the organization "hopes" Zegras can help fill a need at center.
"That will be more of a question for Rick Tocchet," Briere said. "He's going to decide where he fits best and what we have. We hope he can help in the center position."
The 24-year-old did put together back-to-back 60-plus point seasons in his age 20 and 21 seasons in Anaheim. In his rookie season of 2021-22, he scored 23 goals and 61 points, earning a spot on the NHL's All-Rookie Team.
Zegras was the cover athlete for EA Sports' "NHL 23."
Zegras has one year left on a three-year, $17.25 million contract extension he signed in October 2023.
Entering this week, Briere had 11 selections, including seven in the first two rounds, in this weekend's NHL draft. After the trade, the number drops to 10 overall and six in the first 50 picks.
The Flyers have an organizational need at center, and many expect the club to address it during the draft.
By adding Zegras, the team is adding a highly skilled center to its NHL roster, a player who aligns with its rebuild timeline.
Earlier in the offseason, Briere said the Flyers are still rebuilding but are entering their next phase.
"I think we're at a stage now where we're going to shift a little bit from subtracting from the roster into trying to start to add and help the team," Briere said at his end-of-season press conference.
Trading for Zegras is the first shoe to drop.
