Pair of Ducks playmakers dealt major injury blows

Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras and rookie defenseman Pavel Mintyukov both sustained longterm injuries Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators, the team announced. Zegras will undergo surgery on a fractured ankle and miss 6-8 weeks while Mintyukov will be sidelined for six weeks with a separated shoulder.

Zegras has struggled with his health and consistency this season as he already missed 20 straight games earlier this season and has scored just four goals and three assists in 20 games since his return. It’s been a tough few months for the 22-year-old as he had contentious contract negotiations with the Ducks in the summer and missed training camp. After he returned from injury, he struggled to get to his game in recent weeks and even found his name bandied about in trade rumors over the past few days before getting hurt.

Mintyukov is the Ducks’ 10th overall pick from 2022 and has been a pleasant surprise this year on their back-end with two goals and 17 assists in 40 games. On top of being a solid offensive contributor, the 20-year-old has provided the Ducks with a physical presence as well as some solid work in the defensive zone. The Ducks figure to utilize newly acquired Gustav Lindstrom in Mintyukov’s absence.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has been active on the trade market over the past week and it will be interesting to see if he re-ignites the Zegras trade talks when he is healthy once again.