👋 Good morning! These highlights are pretty sick.

I need Trevor Zegras to be good, mostly because I would love for him to solve the Flyers’ center problem. But I would also love to listen to Hoagiemouths like myself butcher that name for a long time. — Rich Hofmann

As always, you reach me at [email protected]

Now that the Flyers have acquired the player widely considered the best at “The Michigan” lacrosse-style goal in the entire NHL, we have another legitimate reason that John Tortorella is not coaching this team anymore. Matvei Michkov likes to try it every once in a while, but this Trevor Zegras appears to have made it an art form. Truly, Torts had to go for his own health. He would not have lasted one preseason game coaching this guy.

When you type “Trevor Zegras highlights” into YouTube, the first hit is an absolutely insane mix. Michigans, spin-a-ramas, saucer passes, dangles, between-the-legs goals and plenty more. Highlights can often be misleading (and yeah, Zegras is not nearly as good without the puck), but Zegras’ highlights are so good that you have to just marvel at his skill level. Some truly wild, And1 mixtape-level stuff.

When the Flyers acquired Zegras (who I had heard of!), I immediately listened to Bill and Charlie talk about him. And after they better informed me on his whole deal, my first thought went back to something Danny Briere said in his pre-draft press conference last week. From Charlie’s piece following that availability…

“You are not going to find a first-line or second-line center via trade.” And that is the conventional wisdom. Outside of goaltender, a true 1C (and a 2C, if we are being honest) is the most important position in the sport. They are hard to come by. As Briere said, teams do not trade them. And we thought the Flyers, who The Athletic recently ranked as the second-neediest team in the entire NHL when it comes to centers, would have to draft one this week in hopes of solving the issue. Maybe they do just that, like if Boston College’s James Hagens is around.

But despite what Briere said, he did in fact take an enticing swing at a top-six center via trade. I am gonna ask myself a few questions to get my arms around this. Just pretend that I am not the one asking the questions.

What did the Flyers give up? Not a ton!

That is just… not a lot.

The fourth-rounder, who cares? As for the 45th pick, it was the sixth of seven selections that the Flyers owned in the first two rounds of this year’s draft. The second-rounder that the Orange and Black got from Anaheim last year for Quitter Gauthier is five picks before that one, and the Flyers actually kept it. So, yet again, who cares? As for Poehling, he is definitely a high-quality 4C. You need those types of players, and Poehling was popular in Philly. But the Flyers have a million bottom-six caliber centers, both on the roster and in the pipeline. They desperately need a top-six caliber center. That is the bet here on Zegras. It hurts, because everyone seems to like Poehling, but yet again, who cares?

Why are people excited about Zegras? His Age 20 (2021-22) and 21 (2022-23) seasons. They were so exciting that they even got him on the cover of “Chel” in 2023.

Zegras had 126 combined points in those years. He came in second place in Calder voting in 21-22. Looking at Hockey Reference, Sean Couturier’s 2018-19 season was the last time a Flyers center topped 60 points. It has been a minute.

Now, slightly different situations for sure. Couturier was an amazing defensive center and Zegras was playing for legitimately terrible teams. But the fact remains that Zegras showed a ton of offensive potential as a younger player. And if he did not have any warts, well, he would not have been available. Speaking of that...

Why was Zegras available? His last two seasons.

47 points combined over those two campaigns, which included a holdout and some injuries. And there is no guarantee that Zegras is even gonna stick at center long-term (which reminds me of some of the draft options that Briere and co. are mulling over). Zergras mostly played on the wing last season, after putting up a bunch of points as a center earlier on in his career.

How does Zegras fit into the Flyers’ financials? Well! The Flyers have a good bit of cap space this year, and are projected to have a ton of cap space next year. Zegras only has one year left on his contract and a $5.75 cap hit, and then he becomes a restricted free agent next year. If Zegras is good, the Flyers can keep him. If Zegras is bad, it does not affect their long-term plans.

The Ducks, who needed more defense and might pay a bunch of money for Mitch Marner, decided to move on. The Flyers picked up a 24-year-old with elite puck skills.

How does Zegras affect the draft plans? Basically, might the Flyers be more inclined to take a wing like Porter Martone at No. 6? Possibly, but Briere said he is still in the hunt for centers. Charlie has more here.

How should I view this? A calculated risk that seems to be pretty good process from Briere and the front office. Charlie has the final word:

Jalen Hurts wrote a children’s book: See, evidence below.

That makes two children’s books for the Super Bowl champs this offseason, along with Brandon Graham.

I am now thinking of the scene in Along Came Polly in which Ben Stiller is horrified by Jennifer Aniston’s well-drawn, but extremely violent children’s book. Judging from the mic’d ups from the past few seasons, I kinda feel like DeVonta Smith would be the Eagle who I might keep away from The Children’s Book Game. I am just saying, be careful DeVonta.

V.J., still at No. 3: The ESPN guys came out with a new mock draft, still with V.J. Edgecombe at No. 3. The juicy part, though?

As Derek pointed out on yesterday’s pod, Edgecombe’s shooting in a single pre-draft workout likely does not matter… unless he completely jacked up his shot, which is something that we have seen before. There is a reason that Bill Simmons made the “Yi Jianlian absolutely destroyed The Chair in his pre-draft workout” joke for years. You trust what you saw all college season, for better or worse. A little weird to see that piece of information leaked, though.

And the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday for Portland’s Anfernee Simons. The first move of an offseason breaking up that team for financial reasons after Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury.

The Phils got a break from the heat and headed down to Houston to take on the Astros, who are yet again leading the AL West by 4.5 games. Do not like that franchise one bit. Good pitching matchup, Ranger against Framber Valdez (8:10 p.m., NBC Sports Philly).

Elsewhere, I believe Trevor Zegras will meet with the media and we are one day away from the NBA Draft.

Your tentative Tuesday schedule at ​PHLY​:

Let's make it a good one.

Rich Hofmann
Daily Newsletter Editor
PHLY Sports