The Anaheim Ducks finally resolved the Trevor Zegras case and gave the restricted free agent a three-year contract on Monday.
According to Sportsnet hockey expert Elliotte Friedman, the average annual value of the agreement is $5.75 million.
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As Friedman made clear in early September, Zegras has clearly lost the stalemate in negotiations with the California team. Thus, he was unable to sign a long-term contract in Anaheim and was able to earn more money at the end of the contract.
The 22-year-old figure skater, one of the most spectacular in his industry, scored 65 points in 81 games last season. In addition, he already has two seasons with more than 60 points to his name. However, his individual successes did not prevent his team from having the worst record in the National Hockey League (NHL) last year.
“It’s exciting to bring Trevor back with us. Obviously he is an important player for this franchise, general manager Pat Verbeek said in a video broadcast on the team’s X account. The good news is that we still have a few weeks until the start of the season so Trevor can come and work with his teammates and get used to the contact and speed of the game.
“I believe he will be a cornerstone of the team,” the GM continued. He still needs to work on his defensive game, but there are also many positive aspects. I’m looking forward to his offensive contribution.”
The Ducks begin the regular season on October 14th with a visit to the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights.
In the NHL, three athletes remain restricted free agents: Jamie Drysdale (Ducks), Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Tim Berni. The first of the three has concluded its accession agreement for the period 2022-2023. The Ducks have about $10 million in cap space on their payroll heading into next season.