Flames have interest in trading for Ducks forward Trevor Zegras: report

Martin Necas isn’t the only talented forward the Calgary Flames are believed to be inquiring about this offseason.

According to a recent report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Flames have expressed interest in Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras. The talented 23-year-old had a 2023-24 season to forget, registering just six goals and 15 points in 31 games.

“[Pat] Verbeek declined to comment on Zegras and his availability, but teams have been reaching out to Anaheim since last off-season and trade talks are expected to pick up this month,” Pagnotta wrote. “Multiple sources have confirmed to TFP that teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators, among others, have expressed interest in Zegras.”

Since entering the NHL during the 2020-21 season, Zegras has been one of the league’s more polarizing players. He is as skilled as they come but is considered by many to be too one-dimensional to be anything more than a good complementary piece on a Stanley Cup-winning roster.

Despite his critics, Zegas has put up good totals for the Ducks in prior seasons. He scored 23 goals in both 2021-22 and 2022-23 while recording 61 and 65 points, respectively. He also plays centre, a position that the Flames are looking to improve.

What it would take to pry Zegras from the Ducks is unknown, though fitting him in from a salary perspective wouldn’t be difficult for the Flames. He was forced to settle on a bridge deal with the Ducks this past October, which now has two seasons remaining with a very reasonable $5.75 million cap hit.

Under general manager Craig Conroy, the Flames’ goal is to retool on the fly rather than enter a full rebuilding phase. Zegras’ age and ability would align with the direction they are taking. Though, with several other teams also interested, pulling off a deal for him wouldn’t be an easy feat.

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