Trevor Zegras on the Montreal Canadiens’ Radar

The Montreal Canadiens are on the lookout for young offensive talent and it looks like they have a target in mind in Anaheim.

With rumours of his potential availability, Trevor Zegras’ name has been out there for the last few months. After two consecutive 65-point seasons, things simply didn’t start on the right foot this year.

On top of being entangled in a heated contract negotiation with Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek, Zegras has been unlucky on the injury front.

With Verbeek looking to put his stamp on his team, picks from the previous regime could be sacrificed to help him build up the Ducks in his vision; which is exactly what happened when Jamie Drysdale was shipped to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Cutter Gauthier.

Although Zegras did agree to sign a three-year bridge deal with the Ducks, there appears to be no love lost between both parties, and a change of scenery could be best for the youngster to rebound and perhaps even hit a new level on a more competitive or complete team.

Enter Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes.

On a recent segment on TSN, hockey insider Pierre LeBrun not only confirmed that the Anaheim Ducks were casually taking calls on Zegras, but confirmed that the Montreal Canadiens were one of the teams that have shown interest.

“The Ducks have listened on Trevor Zegras. My understanding is they haven’t phoned another team and brought up his name. This other teams, because his name has been out there, picking up the phone and saying ‘what’s going on here?’,” said Lebrun regarding the Habs’ interest in the dynamic forward. “Of the four or five teams that I’m told have phoned the Ducks, the Montreal Canadiens are one of them.”

With NHL betting odds pegging the Montreal Canadiens to finish in the basement of the NHL Standings again this season, the clear need for the club is to acquire a top, young offensive player (or two) by the end of the summer to push their rebuild to the next level.

Drafting one at the 2024 NHL Draft would surely help, but also putting together a package that could extract Zegras out of Anaheim would be another coup for the Canadiens’GM. Hughes has an eye for dynamic offensive talent and a penchant for the impressive crop from the 2019 NHL Draft; where Zegras was drafted 9th overall.

It’s a tempting avenue to take, given Zegras’ talent, big-game performances in elimination situations and his natural chemistry with top Habs’ winger Cole Caufield.

It may not come to fruition before the March 8th NHL Trade Deadline, but Zegrass will be a name to keep in mind as the Canadiens head into the offseason season.

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