Buffalo Sabres Acquire Olen Zellweger

Zellweger was the Ducks’ No. 5 defenseman this past season, averaging just under 17 minutes of ice time per game with just under a minute of ice time per game on both sides of special teams.

That represented a notable step back from 2024-25, when he averaged 18:57 time on ice per game, including 2:24 time on ice per game on the power play, which led all Ducks blueliners.

As his performances in the WHL and AHL showed, Zellweger can be most valuable as an offensive contributor when he’s able to see some time on the power play and make the most of his abilities as a mover and distributor of the puck. That only came out in flashes with the Ducks, but the Sabres will hope they can get the best out of his skill set in Buffalo.

Today’s trade comes in the aftermath of the trade that sent Bowen Byram away from the Sabres to the Chicago Blackhawks. Byram quarterbacked Buffalo’s second power play unit and was the team’s second-best offensive defenseman behind captain Rasmus Dahlin. Zellweger hasn’t shown himself to be at Byram’s level, but he does have considerable potential and plays a similar style. He could end up paired alongside right-hander Louis Crevier on Buffalo’s third pairing.

The addition of Zellweger could threaten Zach Metsa‘s spot on the Sabres depth chart. Metsa plays a similar style to Zellweger as an undersized defenseman oriented towards offense, and despite playing in 43 NHL games, he was unable to secure a consistent role under head coach Lindy Ruff.

Metsa averaged under 11 minutes of time on ice per game. The addition of Zellweger would appear to threaten Metsa’s odds of stepping into a larger role on Buffalo’s defense, though there could still be a spot for him to stick on the roster as a seventh defenseman.

In exchange for Zellweger, the Sabres sent a second-rounder to the Ducks alongside Wahlberg. Anaheim has a large number of young defensemen in its system, and while the loss of Zellweger will hurt to an extent, it’s not a loss the Ducks are unable to afford. The Ducks are on the ascent and hoping to make a deeper playoff run next season. They may prefer to devote the lineup spot previously occupied by Zellweger to a more experienced blueliner.

If Zellweger achieves his immense potential at the NHL level, the return the Ducks have received may feel a bit light. But at this moment, it’s not an insignificant return whatsoever. The No. 45 pick is a valuable piece in its own right, and Wahlberg is a quality prospect. The 20-year-old was drafted in the second round (No. 39 overall) of the 2023 draft, and has spent the last two seasons as a middle-six center for the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

He scored a career-high 38 points in 68 games last season, and added three points in three playoff games. The 6’4″, 205-pound natural pivot was ranked as the No. 9 prospect in the Sabres’ system by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who said he “may have a decent NHL career as a bottom-sixer if developed properly.” That development will now continue in a new organization.