Zegras lasted 12 games in the AHL before being called up for his Ducks debut on Feb. The confidence and swagger of a 19-year-old to skate in on the net, pull off that move, and saunter back to the bench like that. And while it is more indicative of your individual skillset than it is your ability to play a team game, this shootout move was something else. He had five points in his first two AHL games.
He first joined the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, and immediately demonstrated that he simply was in a class of his own, making plays that were both skillful and jaw-dropping. Similar to his fellow free agent teammate Jamie Drysdale, Zegras joined the pro ranks late in the 2020-21 season. Skill and Confidence In His First Pro Season His elite hands and vision, not to mention a little bit of arrogance, are what you want in your top-line center of the future. In addition to gold, he took home the award for tournament MVP. He played with swagger, exuberance, and a high level of skill, and looked a class above some of the best 19 and 20-year-old players in the world. In helping Team USA win WJC gold in 2021, he tied Jordan Schroeder’s Team USA record for points in a tournament with 18, registering seven goals and 11 assists. His encore performance the following year was even more impressive. On the international stage, he made Team USA’s 2020 WJC roster, and surprisingly climbed the depth chart and led all Team USA skaters in assists for the tournament with nine.
He was one of the team’s top players, and his performance that season earned him several accolades including Hockey East Third Team All-Star, Hockey East All-Rookie Team, and was a finalist for the Hockey East Rookie of the Year. In his lone season at Boston University, he produced 36 points in 33 games, which were third-most among Division 1 freshman. Taken ninth overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Zegras dazzled on the international stage at multiple World Junior Championships (WJC) and at Boston University before turning pro during the 2020-21 season. After completing the final season of his entry-level contract, he sits atop the list of this summer’s free agent class for the Ducks and, like his teammate Jamie Drysdale, is an essential piece of the franchise’s future. Next on my list of free agent evaluations is Trevor Zegras, the budding NHL superstar who has made “Michigans” and fancy stick handling seem ordinary. Explore everything hockey with THW’s Hockeypedia pages.
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