Ducks’ Trevor Zegras Sidelined Six Weeks Following Knee Surgery
Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras is expected to miss six weeks after undergoing right knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus, the club announced Thursday.
Zegras suffered the injury during a December 4th matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, falling awkwardly to the ice after colliding with forward William Karlsson following a defensive zone face-off. He immediately waved to the bench and didn’t return just one shift into the second period.
The Ducks ultimately fell 4-1 to the Golden Knights, and they’ll now be without one of their top skaters for the foreseeable future.
Internally, Anaheim was bracing for Zegras’ ailment to be far more severe than it turned out to be, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported. Rather than enduring a season-ending injury, he’ll have a chance to return to the lineup in the new year.
In his fifth NHL season, Zegras was off to a respectable start, scoring four goals and 10 points while averaging 16:57 per night across 24 games. He had struggled mightily in the face-off dot, though, winning a career-low 38.2 percent of the draws taken.
Injuries limited the 23-year-old’s availability last season, preventing him from surpassing 31 games played. He struggled to make a sizable impact when healthy, recording six goals and 15 points in that span.
The Ducks signed Zegras to a three-year, $17.25-million contract extension before the 2023-24 season, betting on consecutive 20-goal campaigns with at least 60 points recorded. But the 2022 Calder Trophy runner-up hasn’t lived up to those expectations thus far.
Those woes have reportedly contributed to the Bedford, New York, native being featured in trade discussions in recent seasons. However, none of those talks likely gained much traction because of his inability to stay healthy.
Zegras’ current deal, which carries a $5.75-million cap hit, will expire after the 2025-26 season. At which point, he’ll become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The left-handed centre is part of a young Ducks forward nucleus along with Mason McTavish, Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier. That group is featured alongside Troy Terry and several veterans such as Alex Killorn, Frank Vatrano, Ryan Strome and Robby Fabbri.
Anaheim, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018, remains in a prolonged rebuild and sits third-last in the West at 10-14-4 with 24 points. But that hasn’t stopped the organization from being active in the trade market.
As the New York Rangers prepared to move on from captain Jacob Trouba, the Ducks stepped up and acquired the veteran defenceman last Friday in exchange for fellow blueliner Urho Vaakanainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick. They also agreed to assume the entirety of his remaining contract.
Trouba is signed for two more seasons, including the current one, at $8 million per season and will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 campaign. He’s been held without a point in his first three games with his new team, supplying 11 hits and seven blocks.
Amidst a five-game losing streak, the Ducks will conclude their current four-game road trip in Columbus on Saturday against the Blue Jackets.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Jenn G. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.