SAN JOSE – Sharks followers may make ahead Trevor Zegras considered one of their most favourite gamers to jeer at any time when their workforce performs the Anaheim Geese within the years to return.
Whereas world-class antagonist Corey Perry performed that position for 14 years, Zegras, now in his second full NHL season, drew the ire of followers and the Sharks themselves after he speared defenseman Matt Benning between the legs on Tuesday at SAP Middle.
For the incident, Zegras obtained a two-minute minor penalty for slashing and a $1,500 wonderful from the NHL. He additionally obtained just a few boos that night time from the Sharks followers in attendance, and maybe injected a bit extra animosity between the 2 groups upfront of Saturday’s rematch in San Jose.
“It’s a sport performed in a small space and it’s quick and bodily, so persons are going to be (ticked) off and issues are going to occur,” Sharks coach David Quinn mentioned Saturday morning when requested if the incident provides gasoline to the rivalry, and whether or not there might be some profit to that.
“The wonderful thing about our sport is all people is held accountable.”
“I wish to play exhausting and typically different gamers don’t like that,” Benning mentioned. “A number of us try to play exhausting in opposition to talent, and that will get beneath their pores and skin.”
Zegras mentioned Saturday he regretted spearing Benning and hoped he’d get an opportunity to speak to him earlier than or in the course of the sport. Requested if he’s been booed in different NHL arenas, Zegras mentioned, “normally simply within the shootout.”
“It’s good. It reveals that they’re passionate,” Zegras mentioned. “It’s an important rivalry between the Geese and the Sharks.”
Zegras figures to be a giant a part of it for a very long time.
Perry, for years, was enemy No. 1 in San Jose, as he has 52 factors and 94 penalty minutes – his second-highest totals in opposition to any workforce – in 73 profession regular-season video games in opposition to the Sharks.
Zegras isn’t a fighter and is much less of an instigator, however has a giant persona to go together with an amazing talent set. He had 10 factors in 11 video games earlier than Saturday, together with an help in Anaheim’s 6-5 shootout win over the Sharks on Tuesday. He additionally had a nifty shootout purpose in opposition to goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
Zegras wore a microphone for ESPN’s broadcast Tuesday and informed reporters afterward that he was speaking loads of trash.
“I used to be very indignant at present,” Zegras mentioned. “Hopefully they didn’t catch all of the anger stuff. Issues weren't going our method on the facility play and I used to be simply chirping at all people. I’ve acquired good teammates to calm me down.”
Zegras has change into a lightning rod of types, as his swagger might be construed as cockiness.
Final season when he labored as an analyst for ESPN, John Tortorella debated whether or not a Zegras over-the-net move to then-teammate Sonny Milano, dubbed the ‘Move Streamed Across the World,’ was a “hockey play,” though Tortorella mentioned later it wasn’t meant to be a shot at Zegras.
Benning and the Sharks didn’t essentially respect Zegras’ fixed chatter on Tuesday. However per Zegras’ coach, that’s simply a part of his persona.
“He could also be probably the most misunderstood gamers in our league,” Geese coach Dallas Eakins mentioned Saturday of Zegras. “He’s so aggressive. He really loves hockey. I imply, he loves it. In order that smile on his face shouldn't be an smug one, it’s a enjoyable one. These issues that he can do with the puck aren’t about being a sizzling shot, it’s, he can do this with the puck.
“The performs that he makes, he’s not seeking to go on a spotlight reel. He’s seeking to rating and when you've got a participant like that, loads of the outdated souls in our sport, the blokes that we love, too, they have a look at him and go, ‘that smug little s—, take that stuff and shove it.’ However that’s the brand new technology participant.”
Eakins mentioned he’d slightly have a participant he wants to drag again every now and then than one which all the time must be fired up.
“We're definitely not going to take that child’s persona away,” Eakins mentioned. “He’s most likely essentially the most verbal participant I’ve ever coached. He’s a talker. A number of that's him simply settling himself again down, however it’s so misunderstood on this league, from constructing to constructing, with different groups.
“I get it, however these different groups and people gamers and coaches, they don’t know him how we all know him.”
Quinn has identified Zegras for a number of years, having recruited him to Boston College final decade. Zegras dedicated to Quinn and the Terriers in July 2016, however proper earlier than his freshman season in 2018, Quinn was employed by the New York Rangers.
Quinn had good issues to say about Zegras on Saturday. Nonetheless, Quinn relayed a narrative a couple of longtime pal, a university baseball coach in Texas who grew up in Massachusetts, as soon as asking him why hockey gamers “had been the most effective guys.”
“I mentioned, ‘Effectively, perhaps there’s one thing to the truth that should you’re a phony, otherwise you’re an ass, you get punched within the face,’” Quinn mentioned. “So there’s an accountability degree in our sport that's in contrast to some other.”