It's still too early to tell if the Trevor Zegras trade will be a resounding success for the Philadelphia Flyers, but early signs point north. Zegras is currently averaging a point per contest through eight games, including two goals, plus an 18.2 shooting percentage. It's also worth mentioning he's leading the team in points alongside Sean Couturier.
He's sporting a plus-5 rating and is averaging 16:48 of total ice time per game. Those are outstanding numbers for a player who looked like he was about to fall well short of expectations for a first-round pick.
If Zegras' success continues, there's a good chance it will start a trend around the NHL. One in which players who had put up pedestrian numbers lately but had shown more than a few flashes of brilliance in the past. Instead of one labeling them an afterthought, there's a chance they could be looked at as a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman instead of a lower-liner or bottom-pairing player.
Teams with young cores will probably follow the Philadelphia Flyers' lead
Even teams that insist on building through the draft and prospects pool could follow the Flyers if Zegras' stock keeps rising. Should he be healthy enough to play in all 82 contests and end the year with 82 points, then there is no question that teams will be scouring other lineups for ailing, and once promising talent that could be on the trade block.
It's also not like players who may find themselves in the same position that Zegras found himself in will cost teams a first-round pick. Remember, Zegras went for a second and fourth-rounder, plus Ryan Poehling. That's more than a fair offer for a player who could wind up as the future face of the Flyers' franchise.
Since it's a strategy that the Flyers could ultimately win out on, and with cap space to work with, why not try it again if there's someone available around the trade deadline? Whether the Flyers are contending in March or not, it makes sense to try and bring in another Zegras-like piece to town if the needle keeps pointing north for both him and the team.
Which players like Trevor Zegras could be on the move next?
One player could be Nick Robertson, a 2019 second-round pick who hasn't seen the same success as Zegras but seems to have fallen out of favor with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Like Zegras, Robertson's name has also floated around the rumor mill across the 2024 and 2025 trade deadlines, and that probably won't change in 2026.
Jack Quinn of the Buffalo Sabres could be another one to look out for. He's in the first year of a two-year "prove-it" deal before he's a restricted free agent again. Quinn looks like he's resurging in 2025-26 with six points and three goals in nine contests, but he has been inconsistent overall in the first four seasons of his NHL career and has yet to record regular top-six minutes.
There's also Jonatan Berggren, who looked promising with 15 goals in his first 67 NHL contests back in 2022-23, and has a career shooting percentage of 14.8. But Berggren has yet to show he can be a regular points producer in this league, and has found himself buried on the lower lines. Maybe Berggren, or one of the players mentioned above, could find themselves in Philadelphia next.