Trevor Zegras and Extension Talk
Anthony Di Marco of The Daily Faceoff: Yes, the time has come again for more possible contract extensions. This time, we serve up Trevor Zegras for consideration. Zegras enjoying quite the start for Philadelphia means the inevitable. With 13 points in 12 games, is the center playing his way into a much longer-term role with the Flyers?
There is one minor detail. It’s early, and Philadelphia probably is not entertaining the notion just yet. However, consider that Zegras will turn 25 later in the season, and a six to eight-year deal achieves cost certainty. Comparables include a player like Dylan Cozens, for example. The problem is comparing a seven by approximately seven deal in the flat cap compared to the cap trajectory we see now.
Others look at how Cozens has evolved in his game, adding value to his role. Zegras only played 88 games in the last two seasons with constantly changing roles and Greg Cronin to contend with, plus Pat Verbeek. Whether Anaheim was wrong or right is anyone’s guess. However, it did seem to impede the development of Zegras.
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The early impressions remain good. If Zegras continues to play this way, Dany Briere may have no other choice but to lock up his hybrid center. After all, the longer the time passes, the more dollars it may cost to keep the playmaker.
Carolina Always Big Game Fishing
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period: It may surprise people that Carolina keeps looking for big players. Fishing becomes the name of the game in the NHL even in late October and early November. Carolina still has more than $8 million in cap space for 2025-26. Tom Dundon talked in the past about giving Eric Tulsky the green light to go acquire talent.
With big-name talent always seemingly available, Carolina has competition with teams like Utah and Ottawa. Both are teams with larger expectations. Ottawa wants to make a deep playoff run, while Utah feels they may have the starting ingredients to make a playoff impact.
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Stars are hard to come by, but it appears Tulsky is always fishing around. Goaltending appears to be the spot everyone points to, yet Carolina does not feel that way. If the opportunity is there, it will be explored, but maybe the answer is already there with Brandon Bussi, perhaps. That would allow management to upgrade other positions and improve their playoff special teams, which have lacked in the past few postseason runs.
Either way, it is never dull in Carolina.
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