Trevor Zegras has now officially served his three-game suspension for a late and high hit to Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen in the second period of the Ducks’ 5-4 OT loss on Feb. 23.
Ducks’ Zegras Suspended Three Games for Late Hit
Though Zegras (24) has only produced 16 points (7-9=16) in 34 games played in the 2024-25 season, when he’s on the ice, he’s one of the most consistent offensive drivers for the Ducks and has aptly rounded out his game to provide a more impactful two-way presence.
“We’ll miss Trevor. He’s been terrific this year,” Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said on Tuesday. “If you were to ask me one player that’s probably made the most progress even though his stats don’t reflect it, it’s him.”
Zegras underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee suffered on Dec. 4 in a loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. In his 24-game absence, the Ducks went 8-13-3 and were closer to the team with the best lottery odds at the bottom of the standings (eight points) than the second wild card spot in the Western Conference (nine points).
Upon Zegras’ return from injury, the Ducks went 7-2-1 and had seemingly turned their season around, even entering the playoff race, however unlikely their odds.
At the time the suspension was doled out, the Ducks sat six points out of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference playoff race with a game in hand on the Vancouver Canucks. As of today, nothing has changed in that regard, but in the week since Zegras’ suspension, the Ducks let a prime opportunity to gain ground in the playoff race slip through their fingers.
The Ducks went 1-2-0 in their three games without Zegras, winning their most important of the bunch on Thursday in a 5-2 victory over the very Canucks team they’re chasing. However, they let a 2-0 lead slip away on Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres, the last place team in the Eastern Conference and 29th-ranked team in the NHL.
Saturday provided another significant opportunity for the team to close the gap in the playoff chase. They faced a 31st-ranked Blackhawks team that traded their top defenseman, Seth Jones, hours before puck drop. The team came out of the gates skating well but were ultimately undone by sloppy defensive zone coverage, poorly timed penalties from veteran leaders, and an array of turnovers that led to rush chances the other way, resulting in an embarrassing 6-3 loss.
In Zegras’ absence, Mason McTavish slid into his regular spot in the lineup on the wing of Leo Carlsson and opposite Alex Killorn. Sam Colangelo was recalled from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL to replace an injured Robby Fabbri. Colangelo slotted in on the listed third line with Isac Lundestrom and Cutter Gauthier.
While managing just two of six points in the standings over the last three games didn’t impact their status compared to the second wild card spot, the other three teams ( Calgary, St. Louis, Utah) in the race with the Ducks all gained ground on the Canucks. Their playoff odds are further dwindling.
While Zegras’ absence was far from the sole reason the Ducks lost to the Sabres and Blackhawks, his contributions to the lineup very well could have led to a few extra chances to score a dagger third goal against Buffalo on Tuesday or respond when the Blackhawks began to pull away on Saturday.
While there’s never a good time to hit a player late, from the blindside, and with the head as the primary point of contact, while one’s team has clawed tooth and nail to insert themselves in an unlikely playoff push further exemplifies poor judgement from Zegras in that instance.
He will return to the lineup as the Ducks travel to Western Canada for a two-game, back-to-back swing to take on the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and play perhaps their most meaningful game of the season against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. This will be a chance for Zegras to showcase his importance to teammates and the organization, atoning for a potentially critical error.
Photo Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images
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