Could Ducks be a trading partner for Penguins?

While the confrontation of the 4 nations continues for the NHL, scouting continues for the NHL teams in preparation for the next commercial deadline of March 7.

Scouts for Anaheim ducks took several games in Wilkes -Barre / Scranton WBS) – Ahl affiliate Pittsburgh’s Penguins – In recent weeks. Although it should be noted that the NHL scouts simply have the possibility of consulting more AHL action with the NHL in break, it is always relatively interesting that Anaheim has always presented himself for WBS.

The Ducks are an interesting team, to say the least. They should be on the pretender of the competition, but it seems that they are still far away. Consequently, it would not be so shocking to see them facing one or two young players for high -value assets.

Penguins GM and Poho Kyle Dubas said they could seek to move the conditional choice of first round Acquired in the Marcus Pettersson agreement for a good young player. Although there may be a lot of factors in this equation – including where and when this choice of first round will seek to fall – it does not mean that Dubas will not bite earlier if the return is right.

Here are some young Ducks players who could adapt to the bill for what Dubas is looking for – as well as what they can cost.

Trevor Zegras – Center

A name that attracted a lot of attention is Trevor Zegras, a 23 -year -old center which was the ninth choice of Anaheim in 2019. However, he had a relatively worrying series of recent injuries despite a career in the NHL.

After having played only 24 games during its first season in 2020-2021, the highly qualified center has successfully completed 46 goals and 126 points in its next 156 games in two seasons. However, he has only played 63 games in total in the past two seasons due to ankle and knee injuries and has only 12 goals and 30 points.

For this reason, his stock has dropped considerably. However, there is certainly still an increase potential thereAnd his ability to manage the central position could make him an attractive option for the Penguins – who will need a second line center next season.

Zegras is someone who can be worth a bet for PittsburghBut they should not pay a bonus for him, given his history of injuries and his recent lack of production. He also has a ceiling of $ 5.75 million until the end of the 2025-26 season.

SO, Dubas would be unlikely to treat this first for Zegras. A package centered on a second round choice in 2026 and a prospect can make more sense – perhaps someone like the Avery Hayes striker, the center of Vasily Ponomarev, or even the defender Emil Pieniniemi (for the good package ).

Pavel Mintyukov – Defender

Honestly, Zegras is probably the cheapest option on this list, because all the others are higher and, no doubt, better. So, if the Penguins want to pull higher and are ready to abandon a better asset, defender Pavel Mintyukov can be an intriguing option.

Mintyukov, 21 years old – and the 10th choice in total of the Ducks to the recovery of the NHL 2022 – is a young budding left defender for Anaheim. Presented as an offensive defender endowed with his time in Russia, he showed lightning of brilliance in his recruited season in 2023-24 with four goals and 28 points in 63 games.

However, he saw a little decline in his second season with only four goals and 11 points in 44 games, who came at a bad time for Mintyukovwho is just a young bluel on a left side crowded for the Ducks. Jackson Lacombe took advantage of his opportunities This season, when Mintyukov did not do it.

However, he has large washer skills and a high hockey IQ, and he has enough size to develop more physics in his game. His game far from the washer needs refining, but he begins to show some small signs Progress in the minutes of the pair of the season.

Penguins need another legitimate young option, in addition to Owen Pickering, on the left side. If he is on the market, Mintyukov – which is signed on his ELC until the end of 2025-26 – is someone who Dubas should consider giving up this first conditional round for.

Mason MCTAVISH – Center

This one can be the one here to look at. Mason MCTAVISH – The third overall choice of Anaheim in 2022 – flourished in a legitimate bidirectional center at the NHL level.

He has just been 22 years old at the end of January, and his offensive game is to continue to develop in a positive direction. MCTAVISH already holds 51 goals and 115 points in 201 matches at the NHL – Despite a year of drop with 13 goals and 27 points this season.

And this is great news for any team interested in its services. MCTAVISH can certainly look like a player whom the Ducks will want to keep around – and they should try to keep it – but there are Uncertainty of rumors On the commitment of the FRG waiting to stay in Anaheim. He curiously played mainly in a third line role this season, and even Ducks head coach Greg Cronin said MCTAVISH is “a third-line guy with offensive capacities”.

Honestly? This does not look like a coach who has a lot of confidence in the upward potential of MCTAVISH for the future of the Ducks – and that, in a way, has become a search for the young center.

So, if MCTAVISH lacks interest in signing in the long term with the Ducks, it may be in its interest to obtain a premium return when they are still in the middle of a reconstruction. The center of 6 feet 1 inch and 219 pounds has the tools to be a second -line second line center – something that penguins will need – and it is the type of player whose production should break out if he has coherent talent and coherent talent legitimate on its wings.

MCTAVISH finds and creates space. He is an intelligent player with an II and 200 feet bisstamants. He is physical. He thrives in high danger zones and is good around the net front.

And he has a single mortal shooter who can be a weapon on power play and alongside another playmaker at Haut IQ – perhaps someone like the best hope Rutger McGroarty.

If MCTAVISH is available, DUBAS should be more than ready to separate from this first round, then some. He is someone who will probably cost the Penguins a fairly good perspective too – maybe One of their prospects for a goalkeeper not named Sergei MurashovA third line player ready for NHL, like Ponomarev, or someone with a higher ceiling, but which is further, like the second round of 2024 Tanner Howe.

If Dubas becomes bigger for a young elite talentMCTAVISH is an excellent option to help them in the quasi-future, and it is a guy who can continue to develop with the harvest of young players already on time to arrive in 2025-26.

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