In a segment on TSN's Spotscentre, Pierre LeBrun offered his latest on Trevor Zegras.

Since Jamie Drysdale was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, a surprising name has popped up on nearly every trade block report or article: Trevor Zegras. The origin of these rumors is based mostly on his name coming up in conversations between GMs (or a single GM) and Anaheim Ducks GM Pat Verbeek. Everything else related to Zegras’ name and trade talks has been only speculation.

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Pierre LeBrun went on TSN’s Sportcentre on Tuesday night with the latest on what he had on the subject.

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“The Ducks have listened on Trevor Zegras. My understanding is they haven’t phoned a single team and brought up his name,” LeBrun told TSN’s Jay Onrait. “This is other teams because it’s been out there, picking up the phone and saying ‘What’s going on here?’ and the Ducks haven’t hung up.”

That’s a far cry from any suggestion that the Ducks are actively shopping Zegras.

“ I don’t get the sense right now that the Ducks are committed to moving him or they really want to move him,” LeBrun went on to say. “I think this is more that somehow his name came up and teams started calling.”

Part of the job of an NHL general manager is to listen to interests and offers from opposing clubs to properly gauge the value of players on their current roster. There isn’t a player in the NHL who’s “untouchable,” and any player can be acquired for the right price. In 1988, the greatest player to ever live was traded. If there were a team to make an offer Pat Verbeek couldn’t refuse, then it’s likely Zegras would be traded.

One has to wonder why the Ducks would be willing to move on from a player with Zegras’ talent (other than for an otherworldly return). The trade of Jamie Drysdale to the Flyers for Cutter Gauthier saw the Ducks trading a piece from which they were organizationally strong (a young, mobile defenseman) and addressing an area of weakness within the organization (an instant offense, scoring forward). The Ducks don’t have any player in the organization who brings a similar skillset to that of Trevor Zegras.

Zegras can provide offense in any situation and under any circumstance. He uses a blend of his deception, anticipation, and hockey IQ to dissect a defense on the rush or in the offensive zone. He draws defenders in to open up ice for his teammates and once defenders or goaltenders are leaning one way, he goes the other. He’s a threat to pass or shoot in any scenario and his back-to-back 60+ point seasons in his two first seasons in the NHL on teams at the bottom of the standings are an indication of his supreme offensive talent.

Critics and speculators will question Zegras’ defensive ability and commitment and whether that meshes with head coach Greg Cronin and Pat Verbeek’s vision and philosophy. This season, when Zegras has been healthy, has seen some significant strides in that department. He’s translating his offensive instincts toward dissecting attackers. He baits and outsmarts puck carriers into turnovers and his anticipation ability allows him to disrupt passes and turn up ice.

"He has a whole hockey IQ and he's very easy to lead," Greg Cronin told La Presse when in Montreal (translated from French). "When you tell him to do A, B, and C, he does it. He needs instructions and he will follow them. He's an incredible teammate."

Trevor Zegras is still 22 years old and has a lot of room to grow his developing game on both ends of the ice. He’s one of the most, if not, the most, marketable young stars in the NHL and has been a bright spot for the Ducks and their fanbase over the worst stretch in the history of their franchise. In a trade, it would presumably take a substantial overpay for an opposing team to acquire his services.

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