Anaheim forward Trevor Zegras is a really interesting hockey player.
With 10 goals right now, Zegras is tied for 96th in NHL goal scoring. He’s tied for 89th in points with 27. And he plays for the Ducks, truly one of the worst teams in the NHL.
So why is a player with a resume like that currently on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 23? Why is Zegras constantly celebrated on social media? For the answers, all we need to do is watch his shootout gem from Wednesday night, which stood up as the winner against Vegas.
Trevor Zegras is too smooth with it as the Ducks take the shootout win! pic.twitter.com/jVPldjJ2Cx
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 29, 2022
It’s hard not to sympathize with Vegas goalie Logan Thompson on that goal. What in the world is he supposed to do when faced with puck handling speed and skill like that?
With 11 goals on 16 tries, Zegras’ shootout scoring percentage is 68.75% – the best in NHL history (among players with more than 10 attempts). To put it in perspective, future hall of famers Patrick Kane and Sidney Crosby both have a success rate of 39%. Even Red Wings’ great Pavel Datsyuk, regarded as an absolute legend for his shootout moves, was 40.8%.
At 21, Zegras is now the third-fastest Ducks player to reach 100 career points. So he’s going to have an excellent NHL career. But he’s already put together a highlight reel that would make most hall of famers envious. It’s his jaw-dropping trickery with the puck that truly sets him apart from anyone we’ve ever seen before. He’s already had so many amazing moments that seem to defy the laws of physics.
But Zegras doesn’t just save his puck sorcery exclusively for the shootout. Here are five of Zegras’ top moments (so far).
#5 November 2022:
Zegras torches Minnesota with a fantastic lacrosse-style goal – a.k.a. “The Michigan.” But it’s disallowed by an offside challenge.
#4 April 2022:
Zegras scoops up the puck behind the net and scores another amazing lacrosse-style goal against the Arizona Coyotes. He even had the presence of mind to tuck the puck around teammate Sonny Milano who was directly in his way.
#3 February 2021:
In just his second NHL game, Zegras goes top shelf and couldn’t possibly look more casual about it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAw4luCryzg
#2 December 2021:
Zegras flips the puck to Milano from behind the net who finishes it off by batting it out of mid-air against the Buffalo Sabres.
#1 February 2022:
At the NHL all-star skills competition, Zegras dressed up as Vince Vaughn’s character from the movie “Dodgeball,” then threw on a blindfold and blew everyone away. It was easily the greatest goal in the competition’s history, so of course, they crowned Jack Hughes as the winner.
By Steve Warne
