Zegras, fresh off career year, would love to be with Flyers for ‘long time' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
As Trevor Zegras screamed to the boisterous crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena, you could see the enjoyment on his face.
He had just sent the building into a frenzy, tying Game 3 of the Flyers’ first-round series against the Penguins.
The 25-year-old was experiencing something he had not yet experienced in his NHL career.
Playoff hockey.
And that feeling was the punctuation on his career resurgence in Year 1 with the Flyers.
“To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big,” Zegras said last Tuesday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I think I had lost a little bit of that, the drive and the passion to win and be a really good team. We definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.”
Zegras never made the playoffs in parts of five seasons with the Ducks. He came to the Flyers in a trade last June after two injury-riddled, disappointing seasons. The change of scenery did wonders.
In a contract year, Zegras answered Rick Tocchet’s challenge with a career season of 26 goals and 67 points. He had five multi-goal games after having none the season prior with Anaheim.
“The one thing with Trevor I love is you can give it to him,” Tocchet said earlier this month. “It has been like that all year. Doesn’t pout, takes it. … He’s the last guy I’m worried about. He’s a very coachable kid.”
When Christian Dvorak signed a five-year extension with the Flyers in January, Zegras mentioned how he’d like to stay. He has a chance to sign long term with the Flyers this offseason.
“Personally, I would love that, I would love to be here for a long time,” Zegras said. “I hope that that would happen over the next couple of months or whatever the timeframe would be. I love playing here, I love the fans, I love the group that we have. That would be something I’d be excited for.”
Zegras is a restricted free agent coming off a three-year, $17.25 million deal ($5.75 million cap hit). Jamie Drysdale is also due a new contract as a restricted free agent. Dan Vladar has one more year left on his deal, but he’ll be eligible to sign an extension starting July 1.
“Negotiating contracts is a process, it takes time,” Danny Briere said last Thursday at his end-of-the-season press conference. “I don’t negotiate in public. But there’s not an order. When it can get done, it gets done. It all depends on sometimes the synergy. Sometimes you make ground faster with one than the other, things change along the way. It depends on the traction.
“I have nothing really that worries me at this point to say we’re not going to see those guys come back. I have no worries at this point in that regard. Hopefully it keeps going in that direction and we get them done later this summer.”
Zegras led the Flyers with six points in the playoffs. He had two goals and four assists in 10 games. He was one of 13 players on the Flyers to appear in their first postseason. The Flyers beat the Penguins in six games before being swept by the Hurricanes.
“Excited for what’s ahead with this team,” Zegras said. “Such a good learning experience for myself and a lot of the other young guys that had never played a playoff game, kind of what it’s like to play a series, win a series, have a series against a team that maybe you shouldn’t beat. Know what to expect now. I think it’ll be good moving forward.”
The big question facing Zegras will be his position next season. Can he be a full-time center? Tocchet had Zegras on the wing earlier in the season to build his confidence, but the head coach moved him back to center as the Flyers made their playoff push.
“I’m fine with playing both,” Zegras said. “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more. I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me just in terms of how different it was, how hard the battles are and all that type of stuff. But I thought it was good.”
