This Week in the NHL: Trevor Zegras returns to Anaheim
With 32 teams, games every night and countless narratives emerging, the NHL season can make one’s head spin, and it’s easy to miss out on the weekly storylines. Not to worry; every Monday from October to April, I’ll map out the major events, games, plotlines and milestones on tap for the next seven days.
So what’s happening the week of March 16-22?
March 16-18: NHL GM meetings
The league’s team architects descend on Manalapan Fla., this week. Potential topics of discussion could include offside reviews, (as always) goaltender interference and, perhaps once more, the playoff format, which is slated to pit two of the NHL’s top four overall teams against each other in Round 1 of the playoffs in the Central Division’s 2 vs. 3 seed matchup. Also: will player safety be a hot topic after some recent controversies, including the Anaheim Ducks’ Radko Gudas getting just five games for ending Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews’ season?
March 18: Trevor Zegras returns to Anaheim
Philadelphia Flyers @ Anaheim Ducks, 10:00 p.m. ET
Zegras has enjoyed a resurgent season since the Ducks traded him to Philadelphia. When he faced his former team for the first time in January, he scored twice and sounded off after the game about how “fucking amazing” it felt. That was in Philly, though. Wednesday marks Zegras’ first game in Anaheim as a visitor. Given how the Flyers faithful have treated Cutter Gauthier since he asked out and was traded to the Ducks for Jamie Drysdale, will Ducks fans return the favor for Zegras?
March 19: Stanley Cup Final rematch
Florida Panthers @ Edmonton Oilers, 9:00 p.m. ET
This rivalry may have run its course already. The Panthers broke the Oilers’ hearts in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Stanley Cup Finals, but the Panthers aren’t even competitive enough to make the playoffs this season, their odds just south of three percent. The Oilers won the first meeting this season in November and should be heavy favorites to take down an injury-riddled Florida lineup.
Evgeni Malkin’s 1,400th point
The perennially underrated ‘Geno’ resume includes three Stanley Cups, a Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies, a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Calder Trophy. Why not add another accolade? Malkin begins the week seven points from reaching 1,400 for his career. When he gets there he’ll become just the 23rd player in NHL history to do so. His Pittsburgh Penguins play four times this week, and he’ll have fresh legs returning from a five-game suspension for slashing the Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin.
Connor McDavid’s 1,200th point
It’s fun every time ‘McJesus’ hits a scoring milestone, as we get to assess how fast he did so relative to his peers. McDavid opens the week four away from 1,200, and his Oilers play a three-game slate. When McDavid reaches No. 1,200, he’ll become the third fastest player to do so, trailing only Wayne Gretzky (504 games, LOL) and Mario Lemieux (593 games). McDavid sits at 780 games played heading into this week.
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PRESENTED BY STAKE
