After the Colorado Avalanche made a blockbuster trade sending Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24, speculation has been rampant about their next move now that they have opened cap room and gained a fair share of flexibility.
While Martin Necas and Jack Drury have made an immediate impact for the Avs as the two main players in return for Rantanen, many believe the Avalanche have another significant trade coming—including one for Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
While landing Crosby is closer to a fever dream than a real possibility, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared an intriguing suggestion from a league executive on Friday's episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast.
“By the way, I had an executive from the league tell me this--do you want to know who he wants to see Colorado trade for?” Friedman said. “Trevor Zegras. He said that he would love to see Trevor Zegras learn from Nathan MacKinnon.
“I have no idea if it’s even a thing because we’re all talking about what’s Colorado gonna do now, and his idea was 'Go get Zegras. Put him with MacKinnon, see what happens.'”
Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras (11) reacts after a shot attempt.
Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images
Zegras, 23, is in the second season of a three-year, $17.25 million contract with the Anaheim Ducks carrying a cap hit of $5.75 million.
Injuries have limited Zegras to just 29 games this season, in which he has recorded five goals and eight assists for 13 points.
While his production has been inconsistent, his potential is undeniable as a young player with upside and a former No. 9 overall pick in the 2019 NHL draft.
Colorado currently holds a 30-21-2 record good to lead the Western Conference's wild-card race. That said, the team remains in the mix for a higher playoff seed and a deep postseason run following their championship season in 2022.
While there’s no indication yet that Anaheim is actively looking to move Zegras, there's been speculation about his eventual trade for months on end and according to The Fourth Period's Frank Seravalli, the Ducks are seemingly taking calls from prospective suitors ahead of the deadline.
