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Trevor Zegras

Ducks Remain Far Apart In Negotiations With Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale

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The hopes of eleventh-hour deals to get a couple of Anaheim Ducks’ future mainstays on the ice for training camp Thursday are quickly dwindling. They are not close to new deals for either franchise center Trevor Zegras or young defender Jamie Drysdale, despite camp opening in less than 48 hours, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said Tuesday night on Insider Trading.

As echoed by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tonight, this is quite a puzzling saga that few expected when the summer began. The Ducks have the most projected cap space of anyone in the league by a significant margin, per CapFriendly. Their $16.64MM in flexibility is nearly $4MM more than the Chicago Blackhawks, who have the second-most with $12.86MM. To put that into context – 24 of the NHL’s 32 teams have less cap space than the gap between Anaheim and Chicago.

Ducks assistant general manager Jeff Solomon is known in NHL circles as one of the tougher negotiators in the league, and it could be that Drysdale and Zegras’s camps are truly asking for more than the Ducks feel they’re worth. With short-term deals likely for both in a window where the team won’t be fully exiting their rebuild, however, the team arguably has more to lose by creating off-ice animosity than opting for a perceived overpay on the two contracts.

LeBrun adds that, in a small glimmer of hope, the Ducks and Zegras have both settled on a three-year term. He did say, however, that a “tangible gap” remains between the two sides’ wants on an average annual value. No such specifics were given for Drysdale’s negotiations aside from a deal not being close to fruition, although his agent, David Gagner, is in Anaheim for talks, reports The Sporting Tribune’s Derek Lee.

Neither Drysdale nor Zegras were eligible for arbitration, giving the Ducks most of the leverage in negotiations. That’s especially the case with Drysdale, who was additionally ineligible to sign an offer sheet. It’s fair to wonder if Anaheim is overplaying their hand by letting things drag out this long, though.

While Zegras is already a household name across the league thanks to his incredible puck skills and flashy dekes, the Ducks need him to take a step forward defensively in order to maintain his status as a true number-one center on a championship-caliber team. That’s something they’re hoping to achieve by bringing in first-year NHL head coach Greg Cronin, who Zegras said he had a positive meeting with earlier this summer and shares in Cronin’s philosophy of improving his all-around game. They’re now extremely close to losing valuable time together during camp and getting a pivotal development season for Zegras off to a rocky start. The 22-year-old center has rattled off at least 20 goals and 60 points in his first two full NHL seasons.

Drysdale’s negotiations were always going to be a complex prediction. While an incredibly high-ceiling defender, he registered no points in the first eight games of last season before a torn labrum sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign. The sixth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Drysdale notched 32 points in 81 games in his only full NHL season to date in 2021-22 while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. When he does get a deal done, he’s projected to assume a top-pairing role to the right of Cam Fowler.

It’s worth noting that if Zegras’ absence stretches into the regular season, Anaheim will be down two of its usual four centers. Developing shutdown man Isac Lundeström is sidelined through January after injuring his Achilles tendon during offseason training.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Anaheim Ducks Sign Tristan Luneau To ELC

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Eric Stephens of The Athletic is reporting that the Anaheim Ducks have signed their 2022 second-round pick Tristan Luneau to a three-year entry-level contract. Luneau’s game took a dramatic step in the right direction this past season as the native of Victoriaville, Quebec took home the Emile Bouchard Trophy awarded to the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year.

The 19-year-old nearly doubled his offensive output from his draft year to this year, as he went from 12 goals and 31 assists in 63 games back in 2021-22, to an offensive explosion this past year posting 20 goals and 63 assists in 65 games.

Luneau will join the Ducks farm system that is arguably the best in the NHL, and although he is joining a first-class prospect pipeline, he will likely spend one more year in the QMJHL. Barring unforeseen injuries he should dominate once again, as many predicted he would when he was taken first overall by the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL Entry Draft.

With Luneau now under contract, he joins Leo Carlsson, Jackson LaCombe, Jamie Drysdale, Trevor Zegras, and a slew of other players under the age of 25 who should make up the Ducks core over the next decade in what should be an exciting time to be an Anaheim Ducks fan.

Pacific Notes: Zegras, Sharks, Poolman

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Ducks center Trevor Zegras is the most prominent of the 13 remaining restricted free agents.  The 22-year-old is coming off his second straight season of 60-plus points after putting up 23 goals and 42 assists in 81 games and has a track record that could help land him a long-term agreement.  However, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggests (audio link) that the likelier outcome at this point is that the two sides work out a bridge agreement.  The market for a long-term deal is somewhat well-defined at this point with some recent comparables (including Nick Suzuki and Joshua Norris) checking in around the $8MM mark.  If that number doesn’t work for one or both sides, a short-term agreement would likely come in closer to $5MM while giving Zegras arbitration eligibility after it expires.

More from the Pacific:

  • The Sharks had shown interest in defenseman Erik Gustafsson at the beginning in free agency, reports Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now. Had San Jose been able to complete an early Erik Karlsson trade, they likely would have turned to Gustafsson to help replace some of the lost production.  However, the delay in getting the trade done on July 1st resulted in Gustafsson not taking any chances as he instead signed a one-year deal with the Rangers.  San Jose could certainly benefit from adding a blueliner with some offensive ability but at this stage of free agency, those options are quite limited.
  • While it looks like the Canucks will have Tanner Pearson available for training camp, the same can’t be said for defenseman Tucker Poolman. CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported in a recent appearance on Sekeres and Price (Twitter link) that Poolman isn’t cleared to return yet as he continues to deal with concussion symptoms.  The blueliner doesn’t want to retire and has sought out several medical opinions but after playing in just three games last season and the fact the symptoms continue, it’s hard to see him coming back in the near future.  As a result, Poolman and his $2.5MM AAV will remain LTIR-eligible in October when Vancouver has to submit their cap-compliant roster.

Latest On Trevor Zegras

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Yesterday, we issued an update on the 14 remaining unsigned RFAs league-wide after this year’s arbitration calendar wrapped up thanks to the Anaheim Ducks’ massive seven-year settlement with winger Troy Terry. The most glaring name on that unsigned list is Terry’s linemate, Trevor Zegras, who told NHL.com’s Dan Rosen yesterday he’s “hopeful” for a new contract soon but won’t return to Anaheim until a new deal is signed. He’s spent the offseason training in Connecticut, where he’ll remain for the time being.

Zegras offered no update, good or bad, on how close his camp was to an extension with Anaheim. He did infer that he hasn’t been personally involved much in contract talks, saying the negotiations are “kind of out of my control” and “this is why you have people in place to handle this type of stuff.” Zegras, 22, did not have the four professional seasons required under his belt to be eligible for arbitration this summer. He remains an RFA for the time being after his three-year, $5.235MM entry-level contract expired on July 1.

If general manager Pat Verbeek’s negotiations with Terry are any indication, we likely won’t learn any details about Zegras’ extension until it’s officially announced. The two sides were $3.5MM apart on a contract heading into their arbitration hearing, and there were no credible rumors of a settlement before the announcement came last Wednesday. Financial flexibility is not an issue for the rebuilding Ducks – CapFriendly still projects them with over $20MM in cap space after signing Terry.

Despite a 32nd-place finish for Anaheim in 2022-23, Zegras himself had a solid sophomore season. Skating in 81 games, he matched his rookie total in goals (23) and set a career-high in points with 65 while seeing a small bump in ice time to 18:50 per game. The 2019 ninth-overall pick has kept Anaheim relevant in public discourse despite their poor performance, routinely making incredible individual playmaking efforts. He may have significant defensive holes in his game, but Zegras said he’s “very excited” to play for new head coach Greg Cronin, who traveled to Connecticut to meet with the young center and outlined specific improvements for Zegras to focus on in the defensive zone.

Ideally, the buck won’t fall on Zegras long-term to be a do-it-all first-line center. The Ducks have multiple other top-six caliber prospects, including Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson, with the latter carrying high two-way upside. Verbeek mentioned yesterday he envisions Zegras as the most likely candidate to shift to the wing eventually if Anaheim’s center corps becomes crowded.

That change won’t happen anytime soon, though, as Carlsson isn’t a guarantee to make the NHL next season. For now, Anaheim’s roster still carries significant holes, which will lead them to rely on Zegras heavily in the middle of the ice. Although free-agent additions Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas and a healthy Jamie Drysdale could buoy the team and lift them out of last place, 2023-24 is not expected to be the season where the young Ducks break out – yet.

Mason McTavish Out For The Rest Of The Season

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Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune is reporting that Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish will miss the remainder of the season after suffering an injury in last night’s 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. McTavish scored a powerplay goal in the game but was limited to just 8:09 in ice time after he left with an upper body injury. He will now miss Anaheim’s season finale on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings.

The 2021 third overall pick will finish his first full NHL season with 17 goals and 26 assists in 80 games, pretty good numbers for a 20-year-old who was tasked to play against top line opponents on a nightly basis. McTavish is among a group of young, skilled, exciting forwards that Anaheim has been able to draft and develop over the past few years. But, with all that youth there have been growing pains, Anaheim will finish this season out of the playoffs for a fifth straight season and are currently tied for the second worst record in the NHL.

While they don’t have a ton of talent at the NHL level, Anaheim boasts one of the best farm systems in the entire NHL. Should they land another top tier prospect in the 2023 entry draft, they could be turning the corner on their rebuild sooner than later.  And while they didn’t get a first round pick for John Klingberg, they do boast an awful lot of second and third round picks in the next two drafts.

The Ducks will be busy this summer, on top of what will be a busy draft day, they will need to work out new contracts for Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Maxime Comtois, and Jamie Drysdale. The Ducks will have plenty of cap space to work with though, as they currently sit $38MM under the salary cap for the 2023-24 season.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Canucks, Knight

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, with Zach Hyman leading the way. The Edmonton Oilers swiss army knife had four goals and nine points in three games. Hyman has already flown past the 54 points he had last season and with every point is setting a new career high. It’s been an incredible run for the 30, who has been everything the Oilers hoped for (and more) when they signed him to a seven-year, $38.5MM deal in 2021.

Second and third place went to Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, two players in very different stages of their careers. Stamkos reached the 500-goal mark last week, joining just 46 other players in the history of the NHL and essentially sealing his future in the Hall of Fame (if it was ever in doubt). Zegras, meanwhile, put up eight points in four games, taking his career total to 114. He’s got quite a way to catch the Lightning captain, but Zegras continues to excite fans every time he touches the puck.

  • The Vancouver Canucks now have three head coaches on the books, as they are still paying Travis Green, the bench boss that preceded the recently-fired Bruce Boudreau. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Tocchet’s deal is for two years and carries a $2.75MM salary, meaning altogether, the team is forking out $7.5MM this season for head coaches.
  • The Florida Panthers have swapped Mack Guzda and Spencer Knight once again, with the latter coming back up to the NHL. Knight hasn’t played in the NHL since January 8, but did quite well in his two-game conditioning stint, recording a 23-save shutout for the Charlotte Checkers in his first AHL game since last season.

Snapshots: Zegras, Carter, Benning

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The NHL Department of Player Safety today fined Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras $1,500 for slashing San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning during last night’s game. Zegras was assessed a minor penalty for slashing on the play.

It’s the second fine issued today after New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas escaped with a fine instead of a suspension stemming from his collision with Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock. Thankfully, Benning was not injured on this play. The Ducks will be ecstatic that no further discipline was awarded to Zegras, who’s second on the struggling team with eight points in 10 games.

Snapshots: Stepan, Foley, Zegras

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Not every player who signs a PTO with a team for the preseason turns that PTO into a full contract offer, but it seems we can count Derek Stepan as one of this year’s players who managed to do just that. Don Waddell told the media today, including Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer, that he “thinks” Stepan will be signed to a full contract, and that the hold-up on a deal as of right now is just a matter of the team “figuring out the roster” and salary cap for the start of the regular season.

Stepan, 32, is a veteran of over 800 NHL games and spent last season with the Hurricanes. In 58 games for Carolina, he scored 19 points and is likely being signed to function as a depth center in case any member of their current center corps faces injury issues. While Stepan isn’t the reliable 55-point top-six center he once was, he’s a capable veteran who provides the Hurricanes with the sort of depth contending clubs need to survive the rigors of the NHL season.

Now, for some other notes from across the NHL:

  • Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is generally regarded as one of the more hands-on team governors in the sport, and under his watch the Golden Knights have experienced a period of success that is unprecedented for an expansion franchise. As of today, Foley has reportedly expanded his sports ownership portfolio. As reported by Matt Slater and Ahmed Shooble of The Athletic, Foley has entered into a verbal agreement to purchase a majority stake in AFC Bournemouth, a club participating in the Premier League, the top level of the English soccer pyramid. While the implications of this move on the Golden Knights are not immediately clear, it is fair to wonder if acquiring Bournemouth will lead Foley to be less extensively involved in the Golden Knights’ day-to-day operations.
  • Anaheim Ducks superstar forward Trevor Zegras has been injured in recent days thanks to an upper-body injury. Today, Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins told NHL Network Radio on Sirius XM that Zegras is expected to join the team for a full practice tomorrow. Zegras, who scored 61 points in 75 games, is a crucial part of the Ducks’ offense and getting him back to full health will be important if the team wants to see success early in the 2022-23 campaign.

Injury Updates: Bruins, Ducks, Flames

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The Boston Bruins issued two injury updates, one of which could have a major impact on the team’s calculations for their opening-night roster. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery told the media today that top prospect Fabian Lysell was out day-to-day, with a target returning to play Wednesday against the New York Rangers. He also revealed that star winger Taylor Hall was injured and would be out with a week-to-week designation.

It’s the Hall injury that’s most significant here, especially since the team is already without winger Brad Marchand due to injury. This leaves the Bruins without their top two left wingers to start the season, absences that could significantly alter the complexion of the team’s top-six early in the year. With Hall and Marchand out, it’s possible that players such as Jake DeBrusk and Pavel Zacha are leaned on more heavily to create offense, and this injury could also increase the odds of Lysell making the team for at least a nine-game trial.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • The Anaheim Ducks issued injury updates on two of their players: Trevor Zegras and Urho Vaakanainen. For Vaakanainen, the team said that he was released from the hospital on Friday and “continues to improve.” For Zegras, the team revealed that he is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury but will be on the ice for today’s activities. This is good news for Vaakanainen, who hopefully is on the path to a safe recovery after he suffered a scary injury Friday when he was stretchered off the ice.
  • The Calgary Flames issued three injury updates today, regarding forwards Emilio Pettersen and Martin Pospisil, as well as defenseman Dennis Gilbert. Per the team, all three players are considered day-to-day as they continue to battle for roles in training camp.

Urho Vaakanainen Taken To Hospital After Suffering Injury

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There was a scary moment partway through the first period in Friday’s preseason contest between the Ducks and Sharks.  After setting up a goal, Anaheim defenseman Urho Vaakanainen hit his head into the boards and had to be stretchered off the ice.

The team announced (Twitter link) that the 23-year-old was taken to hospital for evaluation but “has full movement in his extremities and is fully conscious and alert”.  Speaking to reporters postgame, head coach Dallas Eakins didn’t have any updates on Vaakanainen’s condition.

Vaakanainen is in his first full season with the Ducks after being acquired near the trade deadline last season as part of the Hampus Lindholm trade.  He signed a two-year, $1.7MM contract back in July and was hoping to land a full-time spot in Anaheim’s lineup this season.  Unfortunately, it appears those plans are on hold for the time being as the team waits to see how long he’ll be out of the lineup.

Also on the injury front in Anaheim, center Trevor Zegras will be undergoing a second MRI as the team looks to get more information about the upper-body injury he sustained on Wednesday, relays Lisa Dillman of the Orange County Register (Twitter link).  Zegras was injured in the second period against Arizona on a hit from Jan Jenik.  The imaging is happening today so the team should have an idea of how long the 21-year-old will be out of the lineup in the near future.

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