Why would Anaheim trade Zegras for Colton and Girard?
Why wouldn't he? It sounds to me like Zegras is being shopped. Is he really going to fetch better than a good #3D and great 3C? I'd pull the trigger myself but reluctantly. We'd have to get another 3C because I am not giving Ryan Johansen 3rd line minutes in the playoffs if I can avoid it and as much as I love Cogs and Olof, they are not 3Cs for Stanley Cup run.
Trevor Zegras
2023-24 45.94 xGF% 4-3-7 in 20 GP 0.35 P/GP
2022-23 41.76 xGF% 23-42-65 in 82GP 0.80 P/GP
2021-22 46.59 xGF% 23-38-61 in 75GP 0.81 P/GP
2020-21 48.24 xGF% 3-10-13 in 24GP 0.54 P/GP
The points are more than good enough, with the exception of the few games he's played this season. The lackluster xGF% is a concern but then again...Trevor is playing for the Anaheim Ducks. They haven't had a center who played more than 10 games end a season with an xGF% > 50.00 since before at least the 2020/21 season. I quit pulling the season reports on natural stat trick at this point.
As for the Ducks, Ross' got an even strength xGF% of 52.31 10-13-23 0.51 P/GP so his production falls below that of Mason McTavish's 43.27 xGF% 13-15-28 0.72 P/GP, Ryan Strom's 43.93 xGF% 5-18-23 0.53 P/GP and Leo Carlsson's 48.42 xGF% 8-10-18 0.67 P/GP and but he provides enough defense to think he makes that group stronger...especially defensively.
Then you have Girard as well. I dreamed of us getting Gudas to pair with Girard. I think pairing him with Radko would give Anaheim an excellent 2nd pair. At even strength this season Sammy has maintained a 54.57 xGF% which is good for third on the team behind the dynamic duo. He's got 11 points in 26 games and is on pace for 0.42 P/GP. Also, in my opinion has been playing well all season. I'm also not sure how many people have picked up on it, but since returning from the program, he's been a much more physical player. I'm not saying he doesn't avoid hits, every sane player does, but he doesn't run from them and he's really begun skating... to finish checks. He's been playing the body a lot more. If Sam had developed some hesitancy in his game as the result of getting physically abused, it appears that hesitancy is gone now. I can't help but think he'd be an upgrade over LaCombe or Vaakanainen. I mean their D is Gudas, Mintyukov, Vaakanainen, the corpse of Fowler, Lacombe, and something called a Lyubushkin.
I honestly don't see why the little ball of hate wouldn't do this. He's not just collecting picks anymore. He's got the young talent and needs to build a competing team. I'm really happy with both Ross' and G's play. I don't want to trade either of them, but 2C is just too big of a need and that position is just too important. To finally have 2C solved for three runs and knowing he'd still be restricted at the end. This is exactly the same situation I was hoping for when I first stumbled on the idea of Hayton. I'll be honest, I might be tempted to add if necessary, but I actually think that's a very fair deal. If they wanted Byram instead of Girard, I'd want to give them RyJo instead of Colton but I'm sure that wouldn't be an issue for Verbeek.
