Zegras
Hockey season has officially wrapped up the 2024-25 season, and there are few things I love more than this time of year.
Not only are NHL general managers shuffling about to position themselves for the best deal, but they’re also crunching numbers in the effort to put enough space in the ledger for their own free agents as well as some from other squads looking for a change of scenery.
We’ve already seen Edmonton’s Evander Kane get dealt to Vancouver.
We’ve already watched Mason Marchment pack his bags and head to Seattle, and Buffalo’s J.J. Peterka got dealt to Utah as well this week.
What does this do in terms of hobby love for these players… probably nada.
All three of the aforementioned are fine players, very fine in some cases, but within the hobby, there is little love for any of them in reality.
The other trade of note, however, is the deal that sent Ducks center Trevor Zegras to the Flyers for a fourth-line center (Ryan Poehling) and some picks.
Unlike Kane, Peterka (who had a moment in the hobby spotlight), and Marchment, Zegras was, and some would argue still is, a hobby darling.
Zegras’ 2021 Upper Deck base Young Guns sold for as high as $274 back in 2022, and has slid to somewhere under $10 for a raw copy (around $70 for a PSA 10.)
In reality, Zegras did show some promise, racking up 65 and 61 points in the 21-22 and 22-23 seasons respectively.
Since those days, however, it’s been tough sledding for the former ninth overall pick.
Plagued by injuries, he has only played 88 games in the past two seasons and the numbers are reflective of this, not to mention some tension between Zegras and Ducks management and coaches, a position change (from center to wing) and questions about his dedication and work ethic.
So, needless to say, there are few guys in the league that needed a change of scenery more than Zegras.
He could also benefit from a move back to the center position, something the Flyers would be crazy not to do. Couple this with being reunited with close friends Jamie Drysdale and Cam York and you have all the ingredients needed for a comeback/breakout season.
That said, Zegras is certainly worth a look if you’re compiling lists of guys who could be a great value to buy during the offseason and stash for a while to see how it goes.
I have a sneaky suspicion Zegras could turn in a season more worthy of his potential now that he’s a Flyer.