Drysdale, Zegras savor ‘full-circle moment’ in playoffs with Flyers

PITTSBURGH — Jamie Drysdale known as it a “full-circle moment.”

Drysdale scored the Philadelphia Flyers’ first purpose of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, assisted by Trevor Zegras. Philadelphia received 3-2.

It was playoff success every anticipated to have with the Anaheim Ducks, the staff that chosen them in the highest 10 of the NHL Draft in 2019 (Zegras, No. 9) and 2020 (Drysdale, No. 6).

They made their NHL debut a few month aside through the 2020-21 season and seemed destined to be foundational items for a rebuilding Ducks staff.

But after ups and downs, accidents and two trades 17 months aside, that their huge postseason second occurred with the Flyers was one thing neither may have anticipated.

Drysdale was despatched to Philadelphia, alongside with a second-round decide in the 2025 NHL Draft, for ahead Cutter Gauthier on Jan. 8, 2024. And on June 23, 2025, the Flyers acquired Zegras for ahead Ryan Poehlinga second-round decide in the 2025 NHL Draft and a fourth-round decide in the 2026 NHL Draft.

“Once I get traded, you probably think that’s probably it for the rest of our careers,” Drysdale stated. “But he’s been a stud for us all year, and continues to be through Game 1. It’s been a lot of fun.”

It’s additionally been enjoyable for the Flyers, who not-so-coincidentally noticed every participant put up NHL career-best numbers this season.

Drysdale scored a career-best eight targets and matched his private greatest with 32 factors in 78 regular-season video games.

But greater than the offense, he earned the belief of the teaching workers for his two-way play, together with a plus-2 even-strength purpose differential that was the perfect of his six NHL seasons.

“It’s his aggression, or his ability to close on people quickly with his feet,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet stated. “Whether it’s with aggression or with the technique of it, his surfing ability, his stick, and I like his breakouts. He doesn’t panic very often. You saw last night where he had two forecheckers on him, most guys would rim it out and he held it and went out the weak side. So I would say his breakout wheel ability, as much as his 5-on-5 play. For me, those two things have really helped our team.”