Rumor: The All Encompassing Trevor Zegras Thread

[HuGort]

Tony and McCagg got into argument yesterday on sick Podcast. Old Tony can raise his voice. Never knew he was that ambitious. Grant was against Zegras while Tony was all in.

 

[Draft]

What are the objective criticisms against Zegras' character ?

The times I've watched him play, I saw a very skilled player who needed to get stronger. Unlike, Drouin, he's actually led a team offensively and a young age. He didn't pout when he was sent to the AHL. Drouin had these real objective things you could point to. I think this team needs a high skill forward like him. But I'm not sure Hughes can meet the cost.

A buttload of bad and undisciplined penalties. Rough contract negotiations and a hold out into the season. Benched by his coach. Unwillingness/inability to change his game to be more defensively competent. The whole Stecher incident… These are objective and/or measurable issues.

If any of this happened in MTL it would have been a shit show. While I don’t know him and Ducks fans might feel differently, but the character concerns don’t appear to be baseless rumours. Whether we have a good enough leadership group to surround him with remains to be seen.

 

[Price is Wright]

I like Zegras a lot and I think MSL could help him with a lot of his issues. I also think Dach is better at RW than C so adding Zegras would allow Dach to be a top RW which is something the Habs need.

But I also see what Owen Beck is doing in Saginaw and I think there's an NHL star there. And he'd probably be the type of guy Anaheim would want back in a trade for Zegras. I want to see what Montreal has in Beck in 24-25 more than I want to see Zegras matched with Caufield.

As someone who was clearly on the Shane Wright side in the 2022 draft, had I known they would draft a player as good as Beck in the second round I wouldn't have been so negative.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

zegras comes to Montreal if he meshes with Suzuki.

In order to play with this club, you need to take responsibility for yourself, blessed.

Zegras shouldn’t be coming to Montreal unless it’s for an underpay and especially
Not if it’s for a top notch D like Guhle or Hutty or Reinbacher.


Xhejak fights well but you should maximize his trade value IMO if you find a similar presence on the ice due to your team chemistry. Yes we need physical big players and we should keep arber if he can continue improving, otherwise he is a top6 potential.

 

[Andrei79]

A buttload of bad and undisciplined penalties. Rough contract negotiations and a hold out into the season. Benched by his coach. Unwillingness/inability to change his game to be more defensively competent. The whole Stecher incident… These are objective and/or measurable issues.

If any of this happened in MTL it would have been a shit show. While I don’t know him and Ducks fans might feel differently, but the character concerns don’t appear to be baseless rumours. Whether we have a good enough leadership group to surround him with remains to be seen.

I find all of this pretty tame to be quite honest. They're concerns, but nothing that compares to refusing to play in the AHL or quitting on the team that drafted you, to the point you have the most famous idgaf shift in recent memory, that national TV even picked up.

 

[Adriatic]

But I also see what Owen Beck is doing in Saginaw and I think there's an NHL star there. And he'd probably be the type of guy Anaheim would want back in a trade for Zegras. I want to see what Montreal has in Beck in 24-25 more than I want to see Zegras matched with Caufield.

I also want to see what we have in Beck but he will not be an NHL star lolol. He's a quality bottom 6 on his best day.

 

[Draft]

I find all of this pretty tame to be quite honest. They're concerns, but nothing that compares to refusing to play in the AHL or quitting on the team that drafted you, to the point you have the most famous idgaf shift in recent memory, that national TV even picked up.

Sure, I don’t think “character issues” would be a primary reason not to acquire him. It may turn into a lot of drama in MTL but hopefully not too much of a distraction.

The tragically soft, undisciplined play combined with little capacity for defence or board work has me concerned about the assets that would be used to acquire him. We can’t put him with Caufield 5v5 and both of them in the top-6 is concerning. Trying to build the offence around high-skill, one-way players doesn’t feel like a solid path toward playoff success.

That being said, if our team thinks they can get him physically and defensively engaged, he’s a great fit for a lot of reasons. If there’s a deal that works - i.e. not requiring Reinbacher/2024 1st/Guhle - then bringing him in could mean a pretty immediate upgrade up front.

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Imagine a 2nd line of

Zegras-Dach-Newhook/Roy

I like Roy on that wing. Smart player and very underrated shot

 

[le_sean]

Sure, I don’t think “character issues” would be a primary reason not to acquire him. It may turn into a lot of drama in MTL but hopefully not too much of a distraction.

The tragically soft, undisciplined play combined with little capacity for defence or board work has me concerned about the assets that would be used to acquire him. We can’t put him with Caufield 5v5 and both of them in the top-6 is concerning. Trying to build the offence around high-skill, one-way players doesn’t feel like a solid path toward playoff success.

That being said, if our team thinks they can get him physically and defensively engaged, he’s a great fit for a lot of reasons. If there’s a deal that works - i.e. not requiring Reinbacher/2024 1st/Guhle - then bringing him in could mean a pretty immediate upgrade up front.

Have you not been watching Caufield this season? Calling him a one-way player isn’t a fair assessment, he’s made massive strides there. His downside is his size, but he works hard defensively.

I think Zegras can also improve that aspect. If every single forward is buying into the two-way play, then he’ll follow suit. It takes good coaching and leadership, of which the Habs seem to have.

 

[Rapala]

Have you not been watching Caufield this season? Calling him a one-way player isn’t a fair assessment, he’s made massive strides there. His downside is his size, but he works hard defensively.

I think Zegras can also improve that aspect. If every single forward is buying into the two-way play, then he’ll follow suit. It takes good coaching and leadership, of which the Habs seem to have.

He does but you can also tell it was never in his DNA he will often get caught looking or not picking up his man. I think he's much better at moving the puck quickly but when the gap closes his success rate plummets.

 

[Draft]

Have you not been watching Caufield this season? Calling him a one-way player isn’t a fair assessment, he’s made massive strides there. His downside is his size, but he works hard defensively.

I think Zegras can also improve that aspect. If every single forward is buying into the two-way play, then he’ll follow suit. It takes good coaching and leadership, of which the Habs seem to have.

Effort is there now but actual capacity to be a good defensive forward may always be limited. He’s definitely improved his positioning and appears to be more engaged this year and I think that’s great. However, he’s still below average. He loses a lot of puck battles and his play along the boards and down low is essentially non existent. Unless it’s open ice or a really favourable match up, he’s struggling and I’d be pretty uncomfortable about putting him on the ice to defend a lead. He’s not a one way forward because he doesn’t care or won’t buy in. At 5’7 without exceptional speed/quickness, there’s a lot that his anticipation and IQ will need to overcome to be a solid two-way guy.

Zegras has the tools, we’d just need to be absolutely certain he’s going to buy in. He struggles for a totally different reason. You’d really have to rely on knowing the player.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Not interested

Yeah we can pass on this one and go for the next one next year, maybe and surely a better player. Unless we unload bad contracts salary and not give one of our 1rst.

 

[LV426]

Zegras reminds me of Mitch Marner, but with less talent.

 

[sampollock]

Zegras reminds me of Mitch Marner, but with less the talent.

And that talent is bad how?
Question in general

 

[1909]

Zegras is like a Stutzle.

 

[LV426]

And that talent is bad how?
Question in general

Did I say it was bad?

Zegras avoids hits and the corners like the plague. He plays well when he feels like it. He seems like a cancer on the team, But if we can get him for a decent price and MSL can fix him, then great.

 

[sampollock]

Did I say it was bad?

Zegras avoids hits and the corners like the plague. He plays well when he feels like it. He seems like a cancer on the team, But if we can get him for a decent price and MSL can fix him, then great.

No not you saying that , but some are

 

[teamfirst]

My favorite thing will be when he gets traded to another team and it comes out that Hughes never even approached Anaheim for preliminary discussions.

Mine would be to read your first post following his trade to Mtl if it happens

 

[digmor crusher]

Stay away. You don't win with fancy players with questionable character in the playoffs.

 

[sampollock]

Stay away. You don't win with fancy players with questionable character in the playoffs.

True
But you do need scoring and size

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

And that talent is bad how?
Question in general

Question in general, with Zebras + Newhook and CC, does it make habs top 6 a little too smurf?
Is the culture Hughes is tryng to built is enough important or it's overhyped?

 

[sampollock]

Question in general, with Zebras + Newhook and CC, does it make habs top 6 a little too smurf?
Is the culture Hughes is tryng to built is enough important or it's overhyped?

Makes me wonder...
Hard to get bigger power forwards

 

[overlords]

Tiny and McCagg got into argument yesterday on sick Podcast. Old Tony can raise his voice. Never knew hf was that ambitious. Grant was against Zegras while Tony was all in.

 

[1909]

Stay away. You don't win with fancy players with questionable character in the playoffs.

Are we winning with Gallagher, Anderson or Pezzetta ?

View attachment 821383

If Grant is against it, let's go for it Habs !

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Makes me wonder...
Hard to get bigger power forwards

So you like his long stick?