Trevor Zegras Facing First Test of Adversity Since Joining Flyers
Excitement for the moment infected the entire locker room after the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Anaheim Ducks on January 6. Trevor Zegras had stolen the show in an emotional 5-2…
Excitement for the moment infected the entire locker room after the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Anaheim Ducks on January 6.
Trevor Zegras had stolen the show in an emotional 5-2 victory that marked the halfway point of 2025-26, Philadelphia's first season under Rick Tocchet. The 24-year-old scored two goals against his former team to even his scoring pace at 41 points in 41 games.
He proudly announced the room’s confidence as a contender for the Stanley Cup Playoffs while they occupied a spot in a crowded Eastern Conference picture.
The Flyers have quickly lost nine of 11 since triumphantly reaching the midway point of the NHL regular season. Their most effective forward in the first half, meanwhile, has hit his first true slump with the Flyers.
Trevor Zegras Slump
Rick Tocchet spoke about Zegras after a lackluster shutout loss against the New York Islanders on Monday. The first-line winger skated for only 15:24 of ice time, over three minutes below his season average.
“It’s been slipping. It’s not just tonight. I think it’s been a bunch of games lately. It looks like he’s not pushing the pace. He’s kind of waiting around.”
-Rick Tocchet on Trevor Zegras (1/26)
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty ImagesZegras has scored only two goals and added three assists during the rough 11-game stretch that’s sunk the Flyers six points out of the Eastern conference playoff position.
While his underlying play-driving numbers have been relatively consistent, other elements of his game pushed the first-year head coach to make the public challenge. Zegras hasn’t recently maintained the progress toward a 200-foot game that Tocchet pushed for back in training camp.
Rough Loss to Blue Jackets
The slump worsened during a disappointing loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday.
Zegras immediately made a critical mistake on the first shift of the opening period. He controlled the puck moving out of the Philadelphia zone along the boards. He looked for Christian Dvorak with a breakout pass, but a weak flutter became a turnover. Charlie Coyle stole the errant pass and immediately put the Blue Jackets ahead 38 seconds after the opening faceoff.
Erik Gudbranson’s goal on a shot from the point in the second period led Henrik Lundqvist and Tocchet's former co-workers on the TNT Intermission crew to question Zegras for his defensive positioning.
Zegras backed away from the shot’s path, and the Blue Jackets took a 3-1 lead early in the second period.
Tocchet challenged Zegras after the trade to develop an all-around game beyond the flashy highlight-reel goals that landed him on the cover of NHL ‘23. The former top-10 pick responded impressively during the first half. He played a solid physical game along the boards that silenced many of his critics and even jumped into scrums with valuable intensity.
However, he now faces his first true moment of adversity since the Ducks cast him aside. The Flyers desperately need a quick recovery from one of their best forwards before the brutal collective slump sinks their season.
Will he respond to the head coach’s public challenge to the team to handle the ups and downs of the NHL season with better composure and forward thinking?
“You’ve got to handle prosperity. You win a game, you feel good about yourself, but you’ve got to be even keel… To be a really good team or a good team, you have to handle prosperity. You’ve got to let the game go. Even though it’s a good game for you, let it go and get your business hand up for your next game.”
-Rick Tocchet
