Zegras confident he can handle role as Ducks top center

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Trevor Zegras said he's ready to take the next step in his development this season as a top center in a full-time role with the Anaheim Ducks.

"Last year, with it being the whole COVID-19 year, I feel like I didn't really get to experience the day-to-day life in the NHL," Zegras said at the Smashfest Charity Ping-Pong Challenge on Aug. 12. "I'm pretty excited to just get back to normal, kind of experience your first NHL season. I kind of just want to go there, be the best player I can be and try and help the team any way I can."
Zegras scored six points (two goals, four assists) in his final six regular-season games to finish with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 24 games with the Ducks last season, mostly playing left wing. The 20-year-old, selected No. 9 in the 2019 NHL Draft, averaged 0.54 points per game, tying him with forward Rickard Rakell for second on Anaheim, behind forward Max Comtois (0.60).
The Ducks are one of two teams to not have a player score at least 50 points in a season since 2018-19 (Arizona Coyotes).
Zegras hopes to change that.
"My biggest thing is kind of just competing and working hard," he said. "At the core, what I do best is compete. I love to win and that's kind of what drives me. That's kind of how I attack every day and how I get myself going."
That passion to win was evident when Zegras helped the United States win the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. He led all players with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in seven games and was voted the tournament's most valuable player.
His NHL readiness comes at an opportune time for Anaheim. The Ducks (17-30-9) finished last in the eight-team Honda West Division last season and did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season. Anaheim was last in the NHL with an average of 2.21 goals per game, and its 8.9 percent success rate on the power play was last in the League.
"We have such a great veteran group of guys, so they were great with kind of bringing up the younger players," Zegras said. "We have a good mix of old and young guys, so guys like [center] Ryan Getzlaf, [defenseman] Josh Manson ... they kind of just show you the day-to-day and how to do it."
Getzlaf agreed to a one-year contract to stay with the Ducks on July 28. The 36-year-old forward, who scored 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 48 games last season, has been captain since Oct. 4, 2010.
"Coming from college [Boston University in 2019-20], I feel like it's a completely different situation, so it was great to have the help and learn from the veterans," Zegras said. "We have coach Dallas Eakins and some new assistant coaches [Geoff Ward, Mike Stothers, Newell Brown] this year, so hopefully those guys get in and we can turn this thing around."

In addition to his offensive output, Zegras showed improvement on face-offs as the season went along. In his final six games he won 45.5 percent after winning 36.8 percent in his first 18 games.
"Down the stretch I played center and thought I played great," Zegras said. "I definitely worked on my face-offs and I just feel really comfortable in the middle of the ice. It just felt normal."
He's expected to begin the season at center on a line with Comtois and Troy Terry. They became the Ducks' top offensive threat by the end of last season.
"This coming season we're going to have a full season with Trevor and [defenseman] Jamie [Drysdale], which is really going to help them get even more experience and obviously help our team in creating more offense," Comtois said. "Those guys bring it every night. They're skilled guys and they really take charge in every game they play so it's going to be fun to have them the whole year. We're trying to turn the corner quicker than some people think, trying to work hard, get experience and move forward in our process."
Drysdale, a right-shot defenseman chosen No. 6 in the 2020 NHL Draft, scored eight points (three goals, five assists) in 24 games last season.
Zegras said he always has tried to emulate the best players; his longtime favorite is Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane. Zegras will get his first chance to face Kane when the Ducks play at the Blackhawks on Jan. 15.
"It'd be pretty weird, honestly," Zegras said. "I assume it'll happen and it'll be pretty cool. Obviously he's a guy I've looked up to for pretty much my whole life, so I think it'll definitely be cool."