Buffalo Sabers Acquire Olen Zellweger from Wahlberg Ducks and Draft Pick – Hockey Writers – Buffalo Sabers

The Buffalo Sabers acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Aton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Anaheim trades Olen Zellweger to Buffalo for Anton Wahlberg and picks No. 45.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 26, 2026

The Sabers have been busy this week as this is their third trade involving a draft pick. First they traded Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks for the 20th overall pick, they traded Bowen Byram and more for the fourth overall pick and more, and now they’re using their second-round pick for a young left-handed defenseman.

Sabers Add Youth and Value to Blue Line With Zellweger

Zellweger is a 22-year-old defenseman drafted by the Ducks in 2021. He’s gotten his fair share of NHL ice time as the past two seasons he’s played full seasons with the Ducks, playing 62 games in 2024-25 and 76 games this season.

Even though the Sabers traded for defenseman Byram a few days ago, they were looking to fill his void and could do so here with Zellweger, who is very cheap, and could improve behind the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson.

Zellweger recorded 22 points this season and 20 last season in a limited role with the Ducks. The Ducks felt they had a “better” defenseman in front of him with Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, Drew Helleson, and Ian Moore, who recently re-signed with the team.

For the Sabers, he has a chance to develop into a good two-way defenseman as according to Evolving Hockey, he sits in the 77th percentile on offense and the 40th percentile on defense. He will improve as he gets the first four minutes in Buffalo.

Ducks Clear Defensive Log Jam

As mentioned above, the Ducks have a lot of good, young defensemen and Zellweger was an odd man out. Instead of letting Zellweger sit in the press box, they got a draft pick and a solid defensive prospect in Wahlberg.

For Anaheim, this type of move is about program clarity. They gathered so many young defenders that someone was going to get stuck, and Zellweger was the one they were willing to move. By scouting him now, the Ducks avoid stalling his development and instead turn him into a draft asset and promising prospect. It’s a neat way to redistribute value without impeding the growth of Mintyukov, LaCombe, Helleson, or any of the other young blueliners they’ve put forward.

Ultimately, this kind of deal shows where both franchises are headed: The Ducks are leaning toward their rebuild and the Sabers are continuing to strengthen a defense built on skill and mobility. It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s the kind of smart, calculated move that helps teams quietly take the next step toward sustainable success.