Philadelphia Acquires Zegras from Ducks

Philadelphia has made a splash by acquiring one of the NHL’s most exciting young talents, Trevor Zegras, in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, which was confirmed on Monday.

In exchange for the 24-year-old forward, Anaheim has received center Ryan Pauling, who was selected as the 45th overall pick in this year’s draft, along with a fourth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

Zegras made a name for himself in his first two complete seasons, achieving a notable 20-goal and 60-point output in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. However, injuries have hampered his latter performances. He appeared in only 31 games during the 2023-24 season, accumulating a mere 15 points, and dealt with a significant knee injury in 2024-25.

Last season, Zegras played in 57 games, tallying 12 goals and providing 20 assists. Joining the Flyers, he becomes part of a promising young lineup featuring notable talents like 20-year-old Matvei Michkov and 23-year-old Tyson Foerster. However, like the Ducks, the Flyers also failed to secure a playoff spot this season.

Both teams are in the midst of a rebuilding phase, but Anaheim has made significant strides early in the offseason, recently acquiring Chris Kreider from the Rangers.

The two franchises have been active in trades with each other over recent years. Notably, when top Flyers prospect Cutter Gautier unexpectedly transferred from Boston University, Philadelphia traded him to Anaheim in exchange for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in 2025.

Now with the Flyers, Zegras hopes to reignite the magic he once displayed, including his memorable highlight-reel goals. He notably executed an incredible lacrosse-style “Michigan” goal, but perhaps his most remarkable play to date was a stunning assist in December 2021, when he set up a teammate with a lob from behind the net.

With a fresh start in Philadelphia alongside a dynamic roster, he looks to bring more excitement to Broad Street.