The Montreal Canadiens are currently undergoing a rebuild, focusing on bolstering their offensive firepower, particularly up front. While they appear to have found a solid defensive core, their scoring depth leaves much to be desired.
Although the Canadiens boast a potent first line featuring Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, and Cole Caufield, they lack consistent secondary scoring from the rest of their lineup. This deficiency underscores the urgent need for additional offensive talent to complement their top unit and provide scoring depth across all lines.
The return of Kirby Dach is indeed a positive development for the Canadiens, adding depth to their forward lines. However, further reinforcements are necessary for the team to elevate its competitiveness and return to playoff contention.
One player who could significantly address this need is Trevor Zegras. The 22-year-old forward, who recently signed a three-year “bridge deal” with a $5.75 million cap hit with the Anaheim Ducks, has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate. TSN insider Craig Button has suggested that the Canadiens would be an ideal destination for Zegras, given his exceptional skill set and the team’s requirement for additional offensive talent.
Despite Trevor Zegras’s struggles in the limited games he played this season, it’s essential to recognize his potential based on his previous performances. Contract negotiations and injuries hindered his start, limiting him to just seven points in 20 games. However, his previous two seasons showcased his capabilities as a top-six forward with high skill levels, suggesting he has the potential to become a point-per-game player in the near future.
In the preceding two seasons, Zegras demonstrated his offensive prowess by tallying impressive point totals. He amassed 65 points in 81 games last season and 61 points in 75 games the year before, with 23 goals in each season. Notably, his production over these seasons is comparable to that of Nick Suzuki, despite Zegras being two years younger. This track record underscores Zegras’s potential as a dynamic offensive threat who could significantly bolster any team’s forward lines, including the Montreal Canadiens.
Acquiring Trevor Zegras would undoubtedly require a significant investment from the Montreal Canadiens, considering his potential impact and the likelihood of interest from other teams. The recent trade of Jamie Drysdale by the Anaheim Ducks, despite his contract negotiations over the summer, suggests that Zegras could indeed be available for the right offer.
The chemistry between Zegras and Cole Caufield, developed during their time together at the United States Development Program, hints at the potential for a dynamic partnership in the NHL. Zegras’s playmaking skills combined with Caufield’s goal-scoring ability could form a formidable duo that strikes fear into goaltenders across the league for years to come.
Given the Canadiens’ surplus of first-round picks over the next two drafts and the need to infuse talent into their lineup, they may need to get creative in their trade offer for Zegras. This could involve packaging one of their first-round picks along with prospects or additional picks to entice the Ducks into parting ways with the young forward. While the cost might be steep, the potential payoff in acquiring a player of Zegras’s caliber could be well worth the investment for the Canadiens.
