The Flyers’ power play has improved from previous years. Trevor Zegras is a big reason why.

DALLAS — The body is constantly being trained, and muscle memory is how we function daily.

So, of course, when one is searching for the Flyers’ power play, it’s instinct to scroll to the bottom of the NHL’s rankings.

Why? In 2021-22, it ranked dead last (12.6%). The next season, slightly better, but still in last (15.6%). How about 2023-24? Still last (12.2%). And in 2024-25? Not last, but 30th overall (15%).

But this season, you don’t have to scroll too far. Heading into a Saturday matchup with the Dallas Stars (8 p.m., NBCSP) and the second-best power play in the NHL (32.8%), the Flyers are tied with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at No. 16 (20%).

My, how the tables have turned.

Despite ranking 24th in the NHL in offensive-zone time and above the league average in defensive-zone time on the power play, according to NHL Edge, the Flyers have 10 power-play goals on the season.

It’s not great, but it does put them around the middle of the pack. Last season, they scored 32, with 10 coming in the first 16 games. It took them the same 16 games to reach the 10-goal mark this year, but there is optimism it won’t fall off the tracks again.

A big reason is the play of Trevor Zegras. The forward, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in late June, has two power-play goals and six assists. Translation: He has played a role in eight of the Flyers’ power-play goals, while being on the ice for nine.

» READ MORE: Trevor Zegras and the Flyers enjoy a special dad’s trip: ‘He’s fired up’

And, unlike most of his teammates who skate with the man advantage, he has not been on the ice for a shorthanded goal against.

Usually planted on the flank in the right faceoff circle, Zegras has shown an ability to create time and space for himself and the rest of his unit. He draws defenders in or puts them on their heels, giving guys like Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster the chance to score, and they each have two power-play goals.

“It’s unreal,” Jamie Drysdale said about how Zegras moves in the right faceoff circle during the power play. “He’s very calculated in how he works. You think he’s just stickhandling and stickhandling, but he’s always creating, opening up lanes.

“He’s a magician over there, honestly. He’s definitely the guy you want to puck in his hands, and he’s going to make a play. So your job is just to get open for him.”

Skating on a unit with the Foerster, Brink, and Noah Cates line — the Flyers’ most connected trio who are puck possessors and focused on puck support —and his former power-play point man in Anaheim, Drysdale, the unit moves the puck well with crisp on the tape passes.

But, there’s a but...

Put Cam York back with Zegras.

Tocchet tweaked the power-play units recently, moving York away from Zegras and onto the unit with Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov, and Owen Tippett.

No disrespect to Drysdale, but there is no denying the chemistry York and Zegras have. The two best friends who used to run the power play for the United States National Team Development Program and USA Hockey’s world juniors squad have a symbiotic vibe where they just know where the other is without even looking.

York has been on the ice for eight power-play goals — just one without Zegras.

So why the move?

“Well, I’d have to talk to [assistant coaches Jaroslav ‘Yogi’ Svejkovský and Jay Varady, who run the power play] about that. ... I don’t know that [answer], I honestly don’t know,” said coach Rick Tocchet recently.

“... But I do like having Jamie as a righty with Trevor, because he could be on the one-timer. Trevor has a lot of the puck, so when the puck goes to the point, you like to have the righty up there. That’s pretty impressive, though, if that’s what happens, we have to look at that. But I do like the righty with the lefty look, the left on the half wall, the righty, those are the best power plays. ... Most of the good power plays have the right sticks.”

Drysdale also likes playing with Zegras, who is a left-handed shot to his being a righty.

» READ MORE: Trevor Zegras, Christian Dvorak each score twice in Flyers’ 6-5 win over St. Louis Blues

“Z‘s obviously, you’ve seen, he’s really good with the puck on that half wall, and you get it in his hands, he can create a lot,” Drysdale said. “I just know from experience playing with Z that he’s very good at finding lanes through people, not just around them.

“So he kind of tells me, ‘You get to the middle, don’t freaking move, and leave it up to me to find you. And if I don’t find you, that’s on me, that’s not on you.’ So he definitely simplifies it, and then, yeah, I just got to shoot the puck a little bit more, come over top for one-timers. But yeah, that’ll open up more, for sure.”

That unit has one goal with Drysdale — coming against the Montreal Canadiens off the stick of Brink. York being switched to the new unit has been on the ice for one goal off the stick of Matvei Michkov against the Edmonton Oilers.

“Yeah, I think playing simple has been a good thing for us,” York said after assisting on Michkov’s goal. “... I think if that unit simplifies things, we can generate more goals on there, and nice to get one there.”

Added Couturier last week before the Michkov’s goal, “I think just come back to the basics. Keep it simple, get on the same page, really, but to get on the same page, I think we’ve just got to simplify it. Just bring more pucks to the net.

“It’s obviously fun to move the puck around, have backdoor tap-ins, but it’s not always going to be like that sometimes, you’ve just got to grind it out and simplify, and I think that’s what we’re going to be working to do.”

Dan Vladař will start in goal against the Stars. ... The Flyers skaters have a few game-time decisions but Tocchet said Nikita Grebenkin, who has been a healthy scratch for the past two games, has “a good chance he’ll be in tonight.”