The Capitals could get a lot from a player like Zegras.
The Washington Capitals are looking for scoring and plan to explore several options to bolster the top-6 and get some more offense across the board. Could Trevor Zegras be a part of those plans, and would it be worthwhile for D.C. to look into the Anaheim Ducks forward?
Per The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, Zegras is among the trade candidates to watch this offseason. He is coming off an injury-riddled year that saw him post just five goals and nine assists for 15 points in 31 games, while there appears to be "friction" building between him and the Ducks.
Despite his drop in production, Zegras had eight points in his final eight games of the year, appearing to return to the form that helped him to back-to-back 60-point seasons before 2023-24 and made him the ninth overall pick in 2019.
The upside and skill are still there for the crafty 23-year-old, who has quick hands, a high hockey IQ and tremendous playmaking ability, but it may just be time for a change of scenery.
And D.C. could benefit greatly from landing a player like Zegras.
Washington ranked fifth-to-last in goals per game this season (2.53), while the team also felt the void left by the departures of Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals' power play also suffered from inconsistency.
There was just another level that the offence couldn't get to when it came to sustained pressure, getting the puck in the zone and maintaining momentum, and having another X-Factor player in the mix could help the forecheck.
The rising star has two years left on his contract at $5.75 million before he becomes a restricted free agent, and the Capitals are expected to have flexibility to work with this summer with Nicklas Backstrom staying on long-term injured reserve and T.J. Oshie's future up in the air.
Of course, looking at Zegras' injury history and the tension in Anaheim, there's risk involved when it comes to him, and of course, he wouldn't come cheap. Washington has draft capital to work with, though, as well as some potential trade chips. The Ducks also have quite a bit of cap space to work with.
Overall, Zegras is a talented young player who can carry the puck well, make highlight-reel plays on the fly and has the potential to be a top-line center. Now, it's just about consistency and putting in the work, and if Zegras can follow in the footsteps of a player like Dylan Strome, who has thrived after being given a new start, D.C. could truly benefit from taking a chance on No. 11.
