One of the NHL’s most highly touted defensemen prospects is making his NHL debut tonight for the Anaheim Ducks. His name is Olen Zellweger. At this rate, it shouldn’t be long before he’s a household name.
Since the Ducks selected him 34th overall at the 2021 NHL draft, Zellweger has developed on an upward trajectory. He shined twice at the world juniors and was named the CHL defenseman of the year in 2022-23. Those are solid accomplishments for the mobile puck-moving defenseman with high-end puck skills and a cannon of a shot.
Typically, with any 5-foot-9 offensive defenseman, there will be skepticism about how their game will translate to the NHL. For players like Zellweger, it always boils down to whether or not they can drive enough offense to offset defensive deficiencies and not be outmuscled at the NHL level.
Encouragingly,
Zellweger has fared well in both respects in his first year as a professional player.
In 34 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls this season, Zellweger has recorded eight goals and 25 points, which both rank first among rookie blueliners. According to InStat data, Zellweger ranks second in even-strength scoring chances per 20 minutes (1.01) and third in even-strength shots per 20 minutes (2.86) among all AHL defensemen with a minimum of 180 minutes played in 2023-24.
Zellweger may not be tall, but he’s well-built, weighing in at 182 pounds, and he competes well. He doesn’t fit the “soft skill” stereotype, and the most encouraging development of this season is the durability he’s displayed, having been deployed in a top-pairing role in the AHL this year. One ought to think Zellweger’s emergence played a part in Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek being comfortable with parting ways with defenseman Jamie Drysdale in the Cutter Gauthier trade.
Based on Anaheim coach Greg Cronin’s comments after Tuesday’s morning skate, it appears the Ducks are looking forward to adding some flare to their back end with the 26th-best U-21 player, as ranked in The Hockey News’ recent Prospects Unlimited issue.
“The NHL now is celebrating speed and creativity, and when you get waves of that from the back end, that just strengthens that, right? We don’t have that on our back end,” Cronin told reporters, according to Derek Lee of The Sporting Tribune. “Cam (Fowler) is the closest thing to it. I think (Zellweger) can bring that. (Pavel Mintyukov) does it, but he’s not playing. (Tristan) Luneau does it, but he’s not playing. And when you have that weaponry on your back end — we saw it with (Adam) Fox — it just gives you another different dimension offensively that you can’t really create with your defensive defenseman.”
The table is set for Zellweger to shine right from the get-go
