A change of scenery seems to have paid off for Trevor Zegras.
Drafted ninth overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2019, Zegras burst onto the NHL scene as one of the best young players.
The 6-foot centre recorded 23 goals and 61 points in his first full NHL season in 2021-22 and followed it up with 23 goals and 65 points the following year.
Zegras made a name for himself with his remarkable puck handling skills, including a remarkable lacrosse-style assist on a Sonny Milano goal in 2022.
His popularity rose to the point where he, along with women’s hockey player Sarah Nurse, were the cover athletes of EA’s NHL 23 video game.
But injuries and inconsistency derailed Zegras’ tenure with the Ducks.
The Bedford, N.Y., native only appeared in 31 games in 2023-24, registering six goals and 15 points. He then registered 12 goals and 32 points in 57 games last season.
Philadelphia acquired Zegras from the Ducks last off-season in exchange for forward Ryan Poehling and two draft picks. He has found new life with his new team, leading the Flyers with nine goals and 25 points in 25 games and feels that his game has matured since he was in Anaheim.
“I feel better than that guy,” Zegras told NHL.com on Wednesday. ”Not that that guy wasn’t great, just different. I see the game differently. I look for things that I wasn’t looking for back then. [I] played more off of adrenaline [in Anaheim] and how cool it was to play in the NHL, whereas now there’s a right way to play the game.
“I just think there are so many little different things that I do now that I would have never done back then. So, I think it’s cool.”
Zegras joined a Flyers team that finished 33-39-10 last season, tied for the fourth-worst record in the NHL.
He has helped the Flyers rocket up the standings to start this season, currently tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders for the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference and two points behind the New Jersey Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
Zegras’ change of attitude has not been lost on Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, who is also in his first season behind the bench in Philadelphia.
“I think when he’s going good, sometimes the coaches will leave him alone,” said Tocchet. “But you also want to show him something when he’s doing good stuff. For me, there’s a couple of keys with him when he’s on his game and when he’s not. [It’s] just reminders.”
“He likes to hear the information, and he’ll come up with some plays. He’ll talk [and ask], ‘What about this?’ I like that. It’s not just a one-way conversation.”
Zegras pointed out that he feels he’s been able to collaborate more with the Flyers coaching staff compared to some of his previous coaches while in Anaheim
The fact that Tocchet was an 18-year NHL veteran that has won a Stanley Cup both as a player and a coach really helps the coaching messages hit home for Zegras.
“He’s somebody that you can listen to because they’ve lived it,” said Zegras. “A guy you can trust with what he’s saying, and what he says works. I think the team’s had success in a lot of the aspects that he’s been preaching this year.”
The Flyers also feature defenceman Jamie Drysdale, who played with Zegras in Anaheim. Drysdale saw both the highs and lows in Anaheim from Zegras and now believes this is the best he’s ever seen him play.
“I think he’s just having fun,” said Drysdale. “I think that’s kind of just the bottom line. He’s enjoying himself. I think he’s found himself at home here. The group is amazing. He’s been a great fit for the group, and when he’s having fun, being creative, he’s going to produce, he’s going to play well and make stuff happen.”
