Friedman: Ducks and Trevor Zegras ''likely'' to agree to a bridge deal

[SmokeyDuck]

I'm not too worried about it. We have a ton a young high end players that we will have to re-sign in the near future so its okay to take our time here and get the best deal possible to put us in a good position to secure the rest of our core when the time comes.

 

[Synergy27]

Rangers offer a signed Lafreniere plus whatever combination of picks and prospects you want for Zegras. You get a two way winger. We get a high end one way talent. Let’s go.

 

[PainForShane]

Rangers offer a signed Lafreniere plus whatever combination of picks and prospects you want for Zegras. You get a two way winger. We get a high end one way talent. Let’s go.

You know what's funny I think this deal would actually make sense from a hockey / understanding the GMs perspective. If only the Rangers had cap space

 

[DanielBrassard]

Rangers offer a signed Lafreniere plus whatever combination of picks and prospects you want for Zegras. You get a two way winger. We get a high end one way talent. Let’s go.

If Lafreniere was halfway decent this might have had a chance to happen lol. Too bad.

 

[Chips]

I'm not too worried about it. We have a ton a young high end players that we will have to re-sign in the near future so its okay to take our time here and get the best deal possible to put us in a good position to secure the rest of our core when the time comes.

Signing him short term at underpay wouldn’t really be securing the future at good term, he’s gonna be up for another contract after the cap has gone up, and feel he was underpaid (assuming their lowball offer works out)


If he doesn’t want term he doesn’t want term, but trying to underpay him (in basically every sense/comparable) while your team has no plans to spend to the cap/has no need to conserve cap space over just the next three years


3x5 at least, or 3x6 makes so much more sense. Even 3x7 in light of the cap jump


If the team was competing now, it’d make more sense to me that the player bend a little on his cap hit if it’s a short term deal, but if the team’s immediate situation is as dire as the Ducks, just throw in the extra mil. Lowball just doesn’t make sense, a three year deal should be extremely easy.

 

[PainForShane]

If Lafreniere was halfway decent this might have had a chance to happen lol. Too bad.

I'm sorry. As a neutral (Zona fan) I have to stick up for Laf.

Laf is 21 years old, he's been around a half point a game from the bottom six, without PP time. That is more production than all but a handful of players in the entire league. And he's also not a black hole defensively and also throws his body around every once in a while. And he's 21 and a fmr first overall.

I just read an article from some random NY paper saying he'll be playing RW (ie his off wing) on the top line w Kreider and Zib. Who knows if this will be true, but if it is let's see what he can do with actual opportunity before writing off his entire career eh? Just a suggestion

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

I wonder if Verbeek might be trying to move out another piece in order to fit Zegras and Drysdale inside the Duck's internal budget.

Could something like that be what is holding these signings up?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'm sorry. As a neutral (Zona fan) I have to stick up for Laf.

Laf is 21 years old, he's been around a half point a game from the bottom six, without PP time. That is more production than all but a handful of players in the entire league. And he's also not a black hole defensively and also throws his body around every once in a while. And he's 21 and a fmr first overall.

I just read an article from some random NY paper saying he'll be playing RW (ie his off wing) on the top line w Kreider and Zib. Who knows if this will be true, but if it is let's see what he can do with actual opportunity before writing off his entire career eh? Just a suggestion

Lafreniere hasn't been without PP time, he just hasn't played top minutes very often (and when he has, he hasn't been very good). And it's not like he's done much at this point to be deserving of better deployments. Both of his regular linemates last year were better than him.

Most of his 5v5 numbers suggest he's probably a #7-8 forward right now. His 5v5 production rates have been extremely mediocre, and have declined each year he's in the league. Not a great sign, and certainly not someone Ducks fans would want as a core part of a return for Zegras.

 

[ScarTroy]

I wonder if Verbeek might be trying to move out another piece in order to fit Zegras and Drysdale inside the Duck's internal budget.

Could something like that be what is holding these signings up?

Not likely. He’s drawing a line in the sand to give a clear picture on his stance for future RFA negotiations. For better or worse, we’ll just have to wait and see how it goes

 

[PainForShane]

Lafreniere hasn't been without PP time, he just hasn't played top minutes very often (and when he has, he hasn't been very good). And it's not like he's done much at this point to be deserving of better deployments. Both of his regular linemates last year were better than him.

Most of his 5v5 numbers suggest he's probably a #7-8 forward right now. His 5v5 production rates have been extremely mediocre, and have declined each year he's in the league. Not a great sign, and certainly not someone Ducks fans would want as a core part of a return for Zegras.

After you mentioned this I looked it up -- last year Laf played 111 mins on the power play, good for 6th on the team which is misleading bc Tarasenko and Kane were both below him, obvi they were preferred options after coming over. 111 mins on the power play is not much, it's good for 264th in the league (all skaters) imo far below where would be on most teams incl Anaheim. I doubt he would get even that much PP time on the Devils, but most teams don't have nearly as much fwd depth.

Anyway, agree that right now he's a middle six forward, I'd put him as a 6/7, you say 7/8, close enough. And yes, 100% agree that Ducks fans would want much more than Laf coming back. Honestly I doubt many Ducks fans would even want to trade Zegras at all, if they do I'm sure they would want a home run return like a prospect the level of Adam Fantilli or something.

***

But, I am not talking about Ducks fans. I am talking about Pat Verbeek, the same guy who prioritized overpaying RD Radko Gudas rather than sign RD Jamie Drysdale, the same guy who is lowballing Zegras with a now widely reported 4m x 3 year offer. While paying Gudas an identical 4x3 (with trade protection!) which seems legitimately insane.

The more I look into it, the more apparent it is that Verbeek is moving away from pure skill and into making the Ducks harder to play against. Laf fits this type of team much more than Zegras, even though at this time everyone would agree Zegras has much more value around the league. It's a moot point anyway though, Rangers don't have the cap space for Z regardless.

***

Anyway, regardless of all of that, my main point was more around "don't give up on Laf just yet, he'll be 22 in a few weeks" rather than around his potential relative value in a trade. Still young and way too early to assume he won't improve. And he's a fmr first overall so I imagine his ceiling is high, we'll see in real time whether he gets there

 

[Baksfamous112]

anyone thinking Zegras has a chance to be traded is out of this world. No one in their right mind would trade a guy like Zegras. He will end up signing a deal just before the season start or will at most miss a couple of days

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

If Lafreniere was halfway decent this might have had a chance to happen lol. Too bad.

he is halfway decent.

But only halfway.

 

[duckpuck]

I wonder if Verbeek might be trying to move out another piece in order to fit Zegras and Drysdale inside the Duck's internal budget.

Could something like that be what is holding these signings up?

Internal budget? LMAO.

There is no reason to think there is an internal budget - the ducks have spent to the cap in the past. And even if there is, the ducks current cap is lowest in the league and so low (almost $17M below the cap), that there is no way the ducks are anywhere near a theoretical "internal budget."

 

[Bounces R Way]

Ask Treliving how well it went for him down the road bullying his RFAs in contract negotiations.

Verbeek going nose to nose with his 22 year old leading scorer on a million or two in cap for a bridge contract over which duration the Ducks are likely going to be shit anyways I find to be questionable. Zegras does all those silly twitter videos and tiktoks and BS for the team. Hockey media couldn't shutup about that pass he made for like 3 or 4 months. He's on the cover of an NHL EA game. How's he gonna like the PR team calling him on his day off to come shoot pucks and stickhandle at some crappy movie opening after management makes him feel like he's not valued appropriately?

 

[Masch78]

Rangers offer a signed Lafreniere plus whatever combination of picks and prospects you want for Zegras. You get a two way winger. We get a high end one way talent. Let’s go.

Lafreniere + Perrault + I don't know what, maybe Kakko. With that package I'd do it.

 

[ItWasJustified]

I'm not too worried about it. We have a ton a young high end players that we will have to re-sign in the near future so its okay to take our time here and get the best deal possible to put us in a good position to secure the rest of our core when the time comes.

It's unlikely that all the Ducks high end prospects is going to end up as high end players.

 

[BLONG7]

Seems like a strange way to treat your best player?? Get a deal done Mr Verbeek.

 

[Crazy8oooo]

Ask Treliving how well it went for him down the road bullying his RFAs in contract negotiations.

Verbeek going nose to nose with his 22 year old leading scorer on a million or two in cap for a bridge contract over which duration the Ducks are likely going to be shit anyways I find to be questionable. Zegras does all those silly twitter videos and tiktoks and BS for the team. Hockey media couldn't shutup about that pass he made for like 3 or 4 months. He's on the cover of an NHL EA game. How's he gonna like the PR team calling him on his day off to come shoot pucks and stickhandle at some crappy movie opening after management makes him feel like he's not valued appropriately?

Unless you know what the ask is on Zegras’ side of things then you have no clue if it’s a “million or two in cap”.

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[caliamad]

I wonder if Verbeek might be trying to move out another piece in order to fit Zegras and Drysdale inside the Duck's internal budget.

Could something like that be what is holding these signings up?

makes no sense to sign killorn and gudas to those contracts then. This is all about setting a precedent/holding a line. Not that I agree, but that's what you get with PV.

 

[John Price]

 

[Osakahaus]

Anaheim realized "oh shit we needed him" and gave him almost 6M. Good job. Now show progress this season damnit.

 

[Zirakzigil]

New thread up now that he signed.