Anaheim Ducks Give Direction Concering Trevor Zegras
Following one of his best games since entering the NHL, Bob Murray and the Anaheim Ducks have announced a new plan for 20-year-old Trevor Zegras. Upon his call-up, the organization eased Zegras into his duties by playing him on the wing. In 17 games, he registered 7 points (1g, 6a) and seems to be ahead of schedule as far as his progression goes.
Going forward, the Anaheim Ducks believe it is in the best interest for both him and the team that he plays at the position he was drafted at. Effective immediately, Trevor Zegras will begin his transition back to his role at center ice. In order to better prepare him, the Ducks have reassigned him to San Diego, with the hope that he will rejoin the team in the near future.
“Our goal was to help Trevor transition more smoothly into the NHL, so we started him out on the wing. He’s ahead of scheduled progression, and as a result, we are moving him to center ice effective immediately. He will need some experience in the AHL first, but our expectation is that he will be back with us in the near future and play center for the Ducks for years to come.” –Bob Murray, Executive Vice President and GM of the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks Finally Offer Clear Direction
Since the beginning of the season, fans have been asking for a little transparency from the Anaheim Ducks and Bob Murray. When it comes to the media, Murray isn’t the most open General Manager, and for good reason. But, sometimes there is a time and place for the GM of a team to give the fans a little direction, especially in the midst of a rebuild.
There are a lot of people who don’t like the fact that Trevor Zegras is heading back to the AHL. In the wake of injuries to Ryan Getzlaf and Sam Steel, this would be the perfect opportunity for Zegras to test the waters as a center at the NHL level. However, the fact that Murray was finally open about a decision the directly affects the Ducks’ most highly regarded prospect is a step in the right direction.
The Ducks season is already lost. There is no chance for this team to make the playoffs. In the past, the Ducks have made the mistake of rushing the development of their prospects. Even if Zegras is ready for this next step at the NHL level, it is kind of a relief to see Murray being a little more cautious with a player touted to be the future of his franchise.
The Benefits of Sending Trevor Zegras to the AHL
Over the past few weeks, it has been a delight to see Trevor Zegras perform at the NHL level. It has brought hope in the midst of a hopeless season. It will be disappointing to see him go, but there are several benefits of reassigning him to San Diego.
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First of all, Kevin Dineen. The Anaheim Ducks brought him back because he has the reputation of being a development coach. He will be a great mentor for Zegras as he transitions back to center ice. Dallas Eakins has been using the kid gloves with Lil Gouda, and Dineen will have the opportunity to take those kid gloves off and allow Zegras to play top-line minutes.
Another benefit to going back to the AHL is that Zegras will have the chance to continue developing chemistry with Jacob Perreault. The two of them will eventually be playing at the NHL level together and the thought of that is blissful.
Finally, Zegras can focus on developing winning habits. With the Ducks losing so often lately, it’s not good for the confidence of a kid who is still rather inexperienced at the NHL level. Plus, San Diego has a better chance of going on and competing for the Calder Cup. Imagine what Zegras could do next season with the confidence of raising the Calder this year.
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