Can Trevor Zegras Fix His Faceoffs and Become Philadelphia’s No. 1 Center?

Ducks forward Trevor Zegras during a matchup against the Seattle Kraken on March 28, 2024. Photo credit: Jenn G.

Written by Gina Anton

Trevor Zegras has already shown Philadelphia what he can do with the puck. Now, the next step is proving he can handle the responsibilities that come with being a true No. 1 center.

After moving between center and left wing throughout his first season with the Philadelphia Flyers, Zegras found some stability down the middle after the 2026 Winter Olympics. He recorded 18 points in 25 games as Philadelphia’s top-line center, helping the Flyers go 17-7-1 and overcome an eight-point deficit to finish third in the Metropolitan Division.

That stretch helped change the trajectory of both Zegras and the Flyers. He finished the season with career highs of 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games before leading Philadelphia with six points in 10 playoff games. The Flyers advanced past the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round before being swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

Philadelphia clearly believes there is more to come. The Flyers signed Zegras to a four-year, $36.5 million contract in July, avoiding arbitration and keeping one of their most important young players in the fold.

But his next step isn't necessarily about scoring more goals or piling up more points. It's about becoming a center coach Rick Tocchet can trust in every situation.

The biggest weakness is obvious: faceoffs.

Zegras won just 34.1 percent of his draws during the regular season, the lowest mark among the 154 NHL players who took at least 300 faceoffs. He improved to 44.0 percent in the playoffs, but he took only 75 draws across 10 games, while Sean Couturier and Christian Dvorak remained the preferred options for important situations and late-game faceoffs.

For a player who wants to establish himself as a first-line center, that's an area that cannot be ignored.

“I think some of it starts in the gym and just getting bigger and stronger,” Zegras said. “But I think a lot of it was reps and repetition and taking a ton of face-offs, even against your own guys in practice or after practice, and just picking up on little things that maybe guys against you do.”

The encouraging part for Philadelphia is that Zegras isn't shying away from the weakness. He understands that improving in the circle could give him another level of responsibility, and he's already identified the work required to get there.

That's particularly important after the way he responded to Tocchet last season. Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said Zegras impressed him with how he handled being challenged and criticized by the coach.

“I was really excited to see the way Trevor reacted to that because not everybody takes it the same way,” Briere said. “He really took it the right way.”

That willingness to adjust could matter just as much as his offensive talent. Zegras doesn't need to become a completely different player. He needs to round out the one part of his game that could prevent Philadelphia from fully trusting him down the middle. And there is no question where he would prefer to do that work.

“I feel pretty comfortable in both spots, whether it's in the middle or on the wing, so wherever they need me to play, I'm more than comfortable in both spots,” Zegras said. “I thought playing center in the playoffs was definitely something that gave me a lot of confidence.”

That confidence showed. More importantly, Philadelphia showed what it could look like with Zegras operating as a top-line center for an extended stretch.

Now comes the harder part: doing it for an entire season.

The Flyers are no longer simply trying to find out whether they can make the playoffs. After winning a postseason series last year, expectations are beginning to change. Zegras' new contract also signals that Philadelphia views him as part of the team's long-term core.

Improving his faceoff percentage won't suddenly make him a complete center, but it could make a meaningful difference in how Tocchet uses him. If Zegras can move from the bottom of the league toward a more respectable percentage, Philadelphia could have considerably more confidence putting him on the ice for defensive-zone draws, crucial possessions and late-game situations.

That's the next challenge for Zegras.

The offensive production is already there. The opportunity is there, too. If he can become more dependable in the faceoff circle, he could turn himself from a talented offensive center into the kind of all-situations No. 1 center Philadelphia can build around.