The Buffalo Sabres continued their string of transactions prior to hosting the NHL Draft on Friday night, acquiring defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks for minor leaguer Anton Wahlberg, and a 2026 second-round pick (45th overall). Zellweger, 22, is a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level deal with the Ducks.
Last season with Anaheim, he scored 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists) in 76 games and has played 164 NHL games over three seasons, but in the playoffs, the 5’10”, 194 lb. blueliner played only three of the Ducks 12 games against Edmonton and Vegas.
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Wahlberg, the Sabres second round pick in 2023 and played two-plus seasons for the AHL Rochester Americans. The 6’4″, 205 lb. forward scored only 21 goals in 140 AHL games, and never appeared to be making any offensive progress, but does have the size that could eventually lead him to the NHL.
The second-round pick was acquired from Chicago in the Bowen Byram deal earlier this week. Zellweger played for Canada in two World Junior Championships, and after four years in the WHL, split time between AHL San Diego and the Ducks. He is known as a good skater, who moves the puck well, and has solid offensive instincts, but with Jackson LaCombe and RFA Pavel Mintyukov on the left side, it is likely that GM Pat Verbeek was looking to move out the 22-year-old rather than use up significant cap space on his next contract.
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Zellweger will likely be added to the mix with Conor Timmins, Louis Crevier, and Zach Metsa for a spot in the top four with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson next season.
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