IRVINE, Calif. -- Trevor Zegras reported to Anaheim Ducks training camp Tuesday and received a warm welcome from new coach Greg Cronin.
"First thing he did was take my stick and throw it in the corner," Zegras said after the coach emphasized the defensive end of the ice.
Zegras, who was a restricted free agent, signed a three-year contract with the Ducks on Monday. Due to the lack of a contract, the 22-year-old missed the first two weeks of camp.
"Obviously, it's tough. Every hockey player knows how important training camp is," Zegras said. "Definitely some catching up to do, but I feel good."
Zegras said he knows the areas where he needs to improve as well.
"That was a big thing with the contract, obviously, was playing the two-way game and figuring out both sides of the puck," Zegras said. "That was obviously a big emphasis from (general manager Pat Verbeek's) point of view. If you want to play in this League, that's something you have to commit to, so I think Cronin is definitely the guy for that."
Zegras said he kept in shape as best he could, most recently practicing with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team in Michigan. He also came to Southern California a couple weeks before training camp and visited with some of his Anaheim teammates.
Soon after Cronin was hired June 5 to replace Dallas Eakins, he drove from Colorado to Boston to meet Zegras in person. They also spent time together in Florida during the summer.
"I feel like we have a pretty good relationship to start things off," Zegras said. "The system is going to have to be something I pick up on, but a lot of good teammates in here who are definitely going to help me out."
A first-round pick (No. 9) by the Ducks at the 2019 NHL Draft, Zegras effectively has displayed his offensive capabilities during his first three seasons in the League, scoring lacrosse-style goals and while blindfolded during the Breakaway Challenge at the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition.
He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy given to the best rookie in the NHL in 2021-22, when he had 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 75 games. He tied his NHL career high in goals (23) and set his career best in points (65) last season.
Zegras has 139 points (49 goals, 90 assists) in 180 regular-season games, but developing into an effective two-way player is important to his long-term future with the Ducks.
"From Trevor's standpoint and from our standpoint, I think there's much upside for Trevor," Verbeek said Monday. "So we're looking at this as a way for Trevor to become the player over the next three years that he wants to become."
Zegras said he communicates almost daily with Anaheim defenseman Jamie Drysdale, a restricted free agent who remains without a contract.
"Obviously, going through this is tough," Zegras said. "When you've got your best buddy going through it too, it makes it a lot easier, so definitely checking in with him pretty much every day.”
