Couturier’s video game attributes inspired Zegras to ask him for faceoff help

Apparently Trevor Zegras has a unique way of deciding who to ask his teammates for advice.

At the very least, Zegras did with Sean Couturier, as he used the longtime Philadelphia Flyer‘s X-Factor in NHL 26 to figure out that that’s what he needed to ask him about.

Trevor Zegras said he went to Sean Couturier for faceoff tips: “I was playing the new video game, and his X Factor is faceoffs. So I went right to him. It was like, What do you got for me?”

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) September 18, 2025

“I was playing the new video game, and his X-Factor is faceoffs. So I went right to him,” said Zegras during the Flyers’ first day of training camp. “It was like, ‘What do you got for me?’”

The X-Factor feature in the NHL video game series showcases top players’ best attributes in the games and what elements of their game players can use to dominate over the competition. This feature can also be used to scout other players in Franchise mode and can be unlocked in World of Chel to boost players’ attributes.

“Quick Draw” is the X-Factor that Couturier has, which according to EA Sports allows players to “create more opportunities for teammates off the draw with faster faceoff draw wins, allows skill based one-timers right off the faceoff, and unlocks stronger tie-up wins, which box out opposing players.” Couturier has an 84 rating for faceoffs.

Other players with this X-Factor include Dylan Larkin, Vincent Trocheck, Anze Kopitar, John Tavares, Bo Horvat, Roope Hintz, Claude Giroux, Phillip Danault, Tomas Hertl, Ryan O’Reilly, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund.

So far in Zegras’ five-season NHL career, he has an abysmal 40.1% faceoff percentage, the eighth-worst in the league since his debut season. It’s easy to see why he felt the need to ask for advice on it, especially from Couturier, who has a 52.5% faceoff percentage in his career.

Zegras was also a recent cover athlete in the NHL series, sharing the spotlight on NHL 23 alongside women’s hockey star Sarah Nurse.

Zegras was dealt to the Flyers in June, with Ryan Poehling, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick going the other way to the Anaheim Ducks.