While the 4 Nations Face-off continues for the NHL, scouting continues for NHL teams in preparation for the upcoming Mar. 7 trade deadline.
Scouts for the Anaheim Ducks have taken in several games at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton WBS) – AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins – in recent weeks. While it’s worth noting that NHL scouts simply have an opportunity to take in more AHL action with the NHL on hiatus, it is still relatively interesting that Anaheim has consistently shown up for WBS.
The Ducks are an interesting team, to say the least. They should be on the precupice of competing, but it seems they are still a long way off. Therefore, it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see them deal a younger player or two for high-value assets.
Penguins GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has said that they may look to move the conditional first-round pick acquired in the Marcus Pettersson deal for a good young player. While there may be a lot of factors going into that equation – including where and when that first-round pick will look to fall – that doesn’t mean Dubas won’t bite sooner if the return is right.
Here are some young players from the Ducks who may fit the bill for what Dubas is looking for – as well as what they may cost.
Trevor Zegras – Center
© Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images
A name that’s been drawing a lot of attention is Trevor Zegras, a 23-year-old center who was Anaheim’s ninth overall pick in 2019. However, he has had a relatively concerning run of recent injuries despite a running start to his NHL career.
After playing in just 24 games during his first season in 2020-21, the highly skilled center put up 46 goals and 126 points in his next 156 games across two seasons. However, he has played in only 63 games total over the past two seasons due to ankle and knee injuries and has just 12 goals and 30 points in that time.
For this reason, his stock has dropped significantly. However, there is definitely still some high upside potential there, and his ability to man the center position might make him an attractive option for the Penguins – who will need a second-line center as soon as next season.
Zegras is someone who may be worth a gamble for Pittsburgh, but they should not pay a premium for him, given his injury history and…