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Zegras made a splash during his rookie season when he led all NHL rookies in points per game (0.81) and power-play goals (9) and finished as a runner-up for the Calder Trophy to Detroit‘s Moritz Seider.
However, Anaheim and Zegras have spoken behind the scenes over the past two years about the possibility of a change-of-scenery trade, which could benefit both the player and the team. It became clear to Zegras he wasn’t in Anaheim’s long-term plans, although he still worked hard to evolve his game, including emphasis on the defensive side of the puck.
“I want to thank Trevor for his contributions and efforts over the last six years,” said Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek in a statement. “While this was a difficult trade to make, we have and will continue to look at retooling our roster over the next couple of months, and this transaction is part of that process. We wish Trevor the best of luck with the Flyers.”
Both the Flyers and Ducks have new coaches next season — Rick Tocchet takes over in Philadelphia while Joel Quenneville was hired in Anaheim — as the franchises look to take a step forward.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere told ESPN on Monday that he was excited about bringing in a top six player who “fit into what the Flyers are building.”
“He’ll be a motivated player, and if you look at his age he can grow with many of the young players we have here,” Briere said. “We believe in him and believe he can recapture some of the magic that he had in his first few seasons.”
Anaheim, especially, is viewing the 2025-26 season with urgency. The Ducks recently traded for Rangers veteran Chris Kreider as they look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Zegras, a native of Bedford New York, has scored 67 goals and 186 points in 268 career games. He came up through the U.S. National Team Development Program and Boston University.
