The Anaheim Ducks are coming off a somewhat disappointing year, missing the playoffs yet again, and they fired their coach, Greg Cronin. They replaced him with Joel Quenneville, the three-time Cup-winning coach of the Blackhawks. A team does not hire a coach like coach "Q" unless they are planning on making a serious push for the playoffs.
The Ducks outlook
The Ducks have over $38 million in cap space this offseason but will need to lock up franchise cornerstones Cutter Gauthier and due for an extension. They also will have to sign Mason McTavish, a player many people think will be offer sheeted this summer.
The Ducks are a very young team that has improved each year and they also have Beckett Senneike on the way. The Ducks could really benefit from adding a veteran top-6 forward and help on defense. However, their biggest concern is Trevor Zegras, and I think this is the player the Penguins should target.
Background
The best hockey podcast is 32 Thoughts with Elliotte Friedman. During one of the episodes, he detailed how during last years draft, the Canadiens and Ducks had a deal in place to acquire Zegras in exchange for pick 21 and a "young defenseman." There have also been several rumors that Zegras has been on the trade block since 2023.
The Trade
For the Penguins, they would acquire a young player who has hit a wall in Anaheim but who, 3 years ago, was talked about as the league's next star. He is totally worth giving up the 12th pick for. This trade is also similar to the one the Ducks had in place with Montreal, except this trade is for a higher pick and adds an additional second-round selection.
This trade also has benefits for the Ducks. They can use the 11th pick to add a prospect defender or trade it for another asset. Additionally, by trading away Zegras, they open up $5.75 million in cap space, along with more free agency possibilities. It is widely know the Ducks are going to be big game hunting in free agency, maybe target a player like Mitch Marner.
But they have over $30 million in cap space? Well, here is the thing about the Ducks and where they play. California and high taxes go together like Simon and Garfunkel or Crockett and Tubbs. If they want to sign a big-time player, they will have to overpay for many of them. Any additional cap space can go a long way for the Ducks and their aspirations.