Insider slams Trevor Zegras' $17,250,000 contract, labels it "critical error" by Ducks

Trevor Zegras' recent contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks has garnered mixed reactions from NHL insiders, with some labeling it a "critical error" by the team. Zegras, a rising star, signed a three-year, $17,250,000 deal with an annual average value (AAV) of $5.75 million.

Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk, prominent NHL insiders, discussed the contract extension and the concessions made by both parties to reach an agreement.

Seravalli pointed out that the Ducks initially aimed for a bridge deal with a lower AAV, starting in the high fours. However, they eventually increased the AAV to nearly $6 million to make the deal more acceptable to Zegras. This three-year contract allows Zegras to pocket $17-18 million, a considerable sum for a young player.

Seravalli said,

"I think the biggest concession and by the way, when I was saying yesterday that the Ducks in Zegras didn't appear to be close, it's always the danger of kind of reporting in real-time. Sometimes things change with phone call, and that's clearly what happened."

"The big thing is the Ducks came up in AAV. This was always going to be a bridge deal because they couldn't come together on a longer-term thing, which I think makes more sense."

"And now I think they had originally started somewhere in the fours with Zegras, the high fours. And so to get up closer to almost $6 million is a bit more palatable for Zegras. He puts $17-18 million in his pocket, and that's okay for three years. That'll get you by. So in the meantime, that sort of made everything come together."

However, Seravalli believes that the Ducks made a significant error by not pursuing a longer-term contract despite having cap flexibility.

"But I still think my honest take is the Ducks made a critical error here in trying to fight for the bridge deal and trying to keep that number low for a few years at a time when you have cap flexibility."

Frank Seravalli believes in Trevor Zegras

Seravalli argued that committing to a longer deal, even at a higher AAV, would have been a more prudent move for the team. Trevor Zegras, at just 21 years old, has already demonstrated his talent with two consecutive 60-point seasons, making him a valuable player.

"Before signing this contract, the Ducks had $16 million in cap space. If you're a believer in Trevor Zegras, which I am, two consecutive 60 point seasons, and he's 21 years old, you want to get eight years. "

"And even if it costs you a little more now, if you're paying in the nines or whatever that number might end up being, it's better than getting through these three years and having to potentially pay him eleven or whatever that number, twelve, whatever that number might end up being."

By opting for a shorter contract, the Ducks risk paying a higher price when Trevor Zegras becomes an unrestricted free agent.

"The Ducks save themselves some cap space and dollars in the short term, but I think in the long term it's going to end up costing them and also brings them closer to free agency."

In summary, the Ducks saved cap space and dollars in the short term with Zegras' three-year extension.