The 22-year-old defenseman was a pending RFA.
The Ducks have made a draft day trade, though it wasn’t the one that many have been expecting them to make. On Friday morning, they traded defenseman Olen Zellweger to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for prospect Anton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
In Wahlberg, the Ducks are getting a big forward who can skate and hold onto the puck well. He has two years remaining on his contract after his entry-level contract (ELC) kicked in this past season. He represented Sweden at the 2025 World Juniors, putting up eight points in seven games. He's spent the last two seasons in the AHL, registering two consecutive 30-point seasons. He will likely play for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL this upcoming season.
Acquiring the 45th pick gives the Ducks more draft capital, as they now have seven picks for Saturday's Day 2. As trade rumors regarding Mason McTavish continue to swirl, there's a likelihood that they could continue to use some of these picks as a package to acquire another player who can help them win now.
Zellweger appeared in 164 games over three seasons for the Ducks, collecting 51 points. He made his NHL debut mid-way through the 2023-24 season and entered the 2024-25 with a shot at a full-time role. However, he and Pavel Mintyukov became part of a defensive rotation after the acquisitions of Brian Dumoulin and Jacob Trouba, which made it difficult for either defenseman to grab a foothold.
This past season, Zellweger began the year playing with Trouba and formed a strong pairing. The more offensive-minded Zellweger was complemented by Trouba's physicality and more defensive-minded approach. Zellweger was even getting time on the second power play.
But in December, Trouba was elevated to the top pairing alongside Jackson LaCombe as head coach Joel Quenneville attempted to find a stronger partner for LaCombe. Zellweger's regular partner became Radko Gudas and while some of the same complements were there as they had been with Trouba, the pair did not fare as well.
Mar 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger (51) carries the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (91) during the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn ImagesAs the season progressed, Zellweger was taken off the power play and utilized more on the penalty kill, as Quenneville worked to emphasize strong defensive habits. A combination of John Carlson's addition and poor form from Zellweger in March necessitated the call-up of Tyson Hinds, a more defensive-minded, left-handed option and his late-season tryout earned him a spot in the lineup for the playoffs over Zellweger.
Zellweger did not play in any of the Ducks' first round series against the Edmonton Oilers, but did play in three games during the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights after Gudas and Helleson were unable to play due to injury. He provided an assist on Ian Moore's game-winning goal in Game 4 and tied things up late in Game 5.
But a decision always had to be made between retaining one of Pavel Mintyukov or Zellweger, both of whom are pending RFAs this summer. The left side of the Ducks' defensive depth chart is deep, with LaCombe at the top and players like Hinds and Stian Solberg chomping at the bit. Moving Zellweger frees up an opportunity for one of those players.
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