What would a hypothetical trade package for Trevor Zegras look like for the Blackhawks?

Recently, we discussed why trading for Trevor Zegras made sense for the Blackhawks, but we didn’t get into the specifics of what a hypothetical trade package would look like for the brewing star. Sure, he would be an expensive addition, and should a trade between the Hawks and Ducks emerge for Zegras, they would be looking at some turbulence in their current prospects pool and number of draft picks. 

But overall, the key for general manager Kyle Davidson must be for him to add young talent to the Hawks, and doing so from outside the organization is an effective strategy if he trades for the right player or players. Zegras fits the criteria, so giving up sound compensation to Anaheim if a deal plays out shouldn’t be a tough decision. 

So, what would a potential trade package look like between Chicago and Anaheim if the two came to an agreement regarding Zegras? We will figure it out later, but first, let’s lay the groundwork. 

Trade package for Trevor Zegras must benefit Ducks and Blackhawks

For a pair of rebuilding organizations, any trade package must benefit each organization equally. In this situation, we got one team that will immediately benefit from a trade involving Trevor Zegras and another that will keep playing the long game. 

The Ducks would be moving a current talent who is establishing himself as a top-six player in the league, while the Blackhawks will be trading assets they initially thought would benefit them in the long run. 

The immediate aftermath of such a trade would see the Blackhawks accumulate more points than they otherwise would if they ultimately don’t acquire a sound talent like Zegras. As for the Ducks, simply being a better team than they were last season would suffice. Anaheim also went 51 games without Zegras in the lineup, so they would have an idea of how they should fare by moving him, at least in the early going. 

But it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t expect a jump in production from any prospect they would acquire. That said, Davidson would part ways with at least one A-prospect, and you can also toss in some draft picks and perhaps even a player who has seen time with the big club. 

How the trade would benefit the Blackhawks and Ducks long-term

If you’re looking for a complete visual of the trade, you can check it out below. As you’ll notice, I added another mid-round pick for the Blackhawks to create balance, but overall, we’re giving one team immediate returns while the other gets a solid outlook for the future. 

The Ducks will likely have another top-five pick next season, and even with a player like Zegras, the Blackhawks 2025 first-rounder would have probably also factored into the top 10. This would give Anaheim a pair of high draft picks for 2025, plus a prospect in Lukas Reichel, who, if the Blackhawks didn’t think he could be the real deal, wouldn’t have brought him back into the system. 

Reichel will be a full-time NHLer, whether it’s in Chicago or, in this hypothetical trade, Anaheim. At worst, he will line up in the middle-six and could potentially provide solid defensive play, even if he never becomes the scorer a team would have initially expected from him. 

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks would add yet another strong forward, and given their lackluster scoring, even with Connor Bedard arriving on the scene and Philipp Kurashev breaking out, they need more, and quickly. Zegras alleviates a lot of that uncertainty, and with Bedard and Kurashev gaining valuable experience, the Hawks scoring should rank somewhere between 21st and 25th in the league in the process. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)