The Philadelphia Flyers are set to host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. What was once just a random visit out east for the Southern Californian team, is now one of the most highly anticipated games on the Flyers calendar for fans all over the world. It’s the drama and stakes that gets us, and now it’s two-fold.
Of course, leading all the headlines and at the front of everyone’s mind is that Cutter Gauthier is going to sheepishly make his way to Philadelphia and play in front of a crowd of fans that he abandoned and decided that he would rather play for one of the most irrelevant teams in the league where no one really cares about them. Sure, he’s evolved into a pretty good goalscorer, but that shouldn’t even matter when it comes down to the fact that he essentially ghosted the Flyers and still will not publicly say why he didn’t want to sign with the team that drafted him fifth overall.
The other side of the Gauthier trade is Jamie Drysdale. The defenseman that was highly thought of heading into his draft year and then went head-first into the hype-killing machine that is the Anaheim Ducks development system. He has now bounced back from suffering for the first few years of his NHL career, becoming a bona fide top-four defenseman in Philadelphia. But maybe something even more sweet than the return for the maligned and privileged prospect becoming a solid contributor, is that Drysdale managed to get his revenge the first time he hosted his former team.
On the Jan. 11 matchup last season, Drysdale stared down the barrel and took full advantage of his opportunity. He scored a beautiful goal against his former team in a perfect act of revenge.
DRYSDALE ENDS HIS SCORING DROUGHT AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PfHgMQuFC7
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 12, 2025
But now, as the Flyers are set to host Gauthier and the Ducks for the second time on Tuesday night, there’s an added wrinkle. Trevor Zegras gets to have his chance, and it’s not just the fans that want it to happen.
Drysdale already got his revenge, now it’s Zegras’s turn
Zegras has quickly become the Flyers’ best and most consistent forward this season. The 24-year-old was written off completely by the Ducks, traded for a bottom-six center and a couple draft picks, and then exploded with 15 goals and 39 points in 40 games, leading the Flyers in both categories.
While that amount of production after finally being given some leash to be who he is, could be seen as enough revenge, it isn’t good enough for someone who knows all too well about what it feels like.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s game, Drysdale spoke with the media and made it clear that now, after having that moment last year, it’s Zegras’s turn to have his own.
“It’s Z’s stage this year. Obviously, anticipated game and whatnot, especially with Trevor coming over in the offseason. … Two good teams. It will be a good hockey game, as well. I know we’re looking forward to it,” Drysdale said, via The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz.
It’s perfect. The players are of course aware of the situation and the opportunity that is in front of them. We wouldn’t be shocked if Zegras is suddenly receiving a whole lot more passes from his teammates, or someone like Christian Dvorak lays the body on Anaheim more to give the star forward more time and space to work his spiteful magic.
All we can hope for is that something of that ilk happens and Gauthier does not get any chance to score in front of thousands of Flyers fans who hate his guts. He would soak it up like any good heel would and come out with some of the most annoying quotes or post-game reactions we have ever seen.
We have to not let that happen. Please. Trevor, just do something extremely cool and not let the Ducks even think about scoring one single goal.
