by Bob Herpen Phanatic Hockey Editor
Since Old Time Hockey returned to South Philadelphia on Jan. 6 in a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, the Flyers have gone a dismal 3-8-4.
In that span, the club dropped out of the top eight clubs in the Eastern Conference who are locked into playoff position, but are still within striking distance as play resumes tonight in Washington.
In that same span, former Duck and current top-line amoeba Trevor Zegras has cooled off noticeably. While skating in all 15 contests, he's gone for just 3 goals and 5 assists. Even if you subscribe to the old chestnut "correlation doesn't equal causation" there's something amiss here with the 24-year-old expected to be a galvanizer up front.
He's also been blanked three times in the previous 14 games, after only being zonked four previous times all year, three of those in October alone. A 27-game shot-on-goal streak was snapped on Jan. 10 vs. Tampa Bay. His apex during this time of team-wide struggle was a 7-SOG performance in a loss at Buffalo on Jan. 14 and then 6 more on net in a 5-3 setback in Columbus exactly 2 weeks later.
One of the troubling aspects of Zegras' slide is that his shot totals are low. Consistent, but low. Even before the post-Ducks-afterglow, the fifth-year pro put together a streak of 12 straight games from Dec. 11 to Jan. 3 where he posted at least 1 SOG but no more than 2 each time. Then, there was that lone credited shot on goal in that score-a-palooza rout in Denver where virtually every other teammate on the top 6 made better contributions.
What snapped him out of an early-season funk that resulted in zero goals and 5 assists over the first seven games, whether he wants to cop to it or not,
was almost having his wrist sliced by the skate of Sens forward Tim Stutzle. As playoff pressure mounts, let's hope it doesn't take another near-career-altering experience to jolt him back to reality.
Zegras' season high for most consecutive games with at least a point is nine -- which all took place before Christmas (Dec. 9-23) and none better than 2 points in any contest.
That, obviously has to change: the number of games as well as the number of points. Again, consistent but low. His season best for points in a game is 3, and both occurred waaaaay back in the season's first month, Oct. 25 and 30.
One way head coach Rick Tocchet can start Zegras' engine is to test him right away -- or on an extended jag -- with more ice time per night. After 56 games, Zegras is averaging 18:43 per contest, a hair below his career best of 18:50 set in Anaheim 3 years ago. Not coincidentally, it was the last fully healthy season he skated for the Ducks, posting 23 goals and 65 points.
Zegras has only broken the 20-minute mark 16 times in 56 games. His season high was a 23:24 stint at Montreal on Nov. 4. In November alone, Zegras was allowed to roam the ice for 20-or-more minutes 6 times, far and away the most for any other month. His 23:07 in a loss at Buffalo was matched only by 21:20 on Jan. 28 at Columbus, with a 21:17 in a beyond-regulation game vs. Ottawa on Feb. 5 before the Olympic break.
I know, I know. Deep waters here with the "Michkov situation" that's always bubbling under the surface.
But there's no load management in the NHL like there is in the NBA. And since your top players have to be top players on a consistent workload, it's safe to assume that means they will be given the maximum chance to produce. And it is safe to assume, for now anyway, that Tocchet doesn't plan to rein Zegras in unless there's a blowout -- in which case that's for protective purposes -- or evidence the youngster went on a Krispy Kreme bender over the last 2 1/2 weeks.
From there, it's on Zegras and Zegras alone to do with the ice time he's given. Twenty minutes a night has a nice ring to it. No complaints about deployment, puck possession, high-or-low-danger chances. Pure fundamental instinct and hockey IQ has to guide him with each stride.
Heading into the schedule resumption tonight, we don't know where Zegras' head's at. His lone availability to the media
occurred following Sunday's practice and if you believe the message was whole coming out of Flyers PR, the only apparent subject of interest in-house was his role in cheering Team USA at the Winter Olympics.
There was also no apparent concern or issue or questions relating to Zegras' play from the beats who have all access during yesterday's media session after practice at Voorhees. That includes an 11-minute open forum with Flyers assistant Todd Reirden.
That's not good, either.
The only insight into Zegras' situation prior to puck drop was broached with a question related to his placement at either center or wing after yesterday's practice. Reirden offered minimal information there.
"We've looked at a couple different things in that regard," he said. "I don't want to commit to something on that. It's trying to find the best 12 guys up front that can help us win games."
At least for tonight, Zegras is listed as a winger, paired with Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny according to several reports.
"I think he's played better lately," Tocchet was quoted as saying in the pregame, as reported by multiple sources. "He said to me he wanted to play more inside, he felt he was getting a little farther from the net.
"When he's comfortable, he's a good hockey player," Tocchet added.
No matter where he's placed, he's gotta be on. Every night. Around the puck, moving the puck, moving his feet to get into open shooting and passing position. Tracking all rebounds within shooting or passing range. Can't afford to be a passenger even on nights when he is targeted. Even a skate keeping a loose puck alive can lead to a crucial scoring chance. Points are a must, win or lose, excepting shutouts -- which shouldn't be an issue as the club, for all its struggles, has only been blanked twice in 56 games.
Alongside the practical concerns, there's also the matter of Zegras' emotional reserve. In short, there's no time for getting too high or too low against any opponent. A scramble of 26 games in 48 days dictates he call upon any lessons learned about (cliche warning) keeping an even keel and focusing one game at a time.
There's one more game against his old club, on Mar. 18 in Southern California. He absolutely, positively cannot treat his first trip back to Anaheim as some kind of emotional high point -- even if he wants to stick it to that percentage of home fans who will make their displeasure known. I don't know if he knows it, but he can still be the dagger in their hearts without whooping it up like he did and performing for the cameras 49 days ago.
Objectively and subjectively, it was a mistake for Zegras to become so emotionally invested back on Jan. 6. Once the high wore off, he AND his teammates felt the sting of a string of lifeless performances whose fallout was only interrupted by the Olympic break. Switching it on to fuel his play against the likes of Carolina, Boston, the Red Wings, Rangers, Islanders and Devils should be where his head's at.
I don't want to put a number on Zegras' production, but 25 points, minimum, in 26 games would sound like he's trying to rise to the occasion, with 30-or-more being indicative of latent drive and leadership quality. Throw in a couple game-tying or game-winning goals, that's a recipe for success.
Regardless of deployment, he won't be able to dodge media scrutiny for much longer if the results don't arrive.
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