Ducks star set to return from two-month absence

The Anaheim Ducks are getting star talent back on Tuesday, with top forward Trevor Zegras expected to return from a broken ankle that’s kept him out of the team’s last 31 games. It was his second extended absence of the season, as he also missed 20 games across November and December with a separate lower-body injury.

None of this season has gone according to plan for the 23-year-old Zegras, who didn’t sign a contract until 12 days before Anaheim’s season debut. Contract negotiations held him out of the team’s training camp, and his rust clearly showed, with Zegras scoring just one goal and one assist in 12 games before his first injury. He’s since totaled 20 games on the year, managing four goals and seven points. It’s a disappointing step down for the former top-10 draft pick, who has broken the 60-point mark in his first two full NHL seasons.

Zegras’ return marks a string of good health for Anaheim’s talented young players. 2023 second-overall pick Leo Carlsson has missed 27 games this season, bearing through an MCL injury in his right knee and separate lower-body and upper-body injuries. Anaheim has played in just eight games with Zegras and Carlsson in the lineup, setting a 5-3-0 record and outscoring opponents 26-to-22. They’ll relish the chance to have a full-strength offense once again, while the focus will shift to whether Zegras can rediscover his high scoring.