Trade grades for Sabres, Ducks after Olen Zellweger NHL Draft day deal

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Trade grades for Sabres, Ducks after Olen Zellweger NHL Draft day deal

Christopher Hennessy, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Sun, Jun 28, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Trade grades for Sabres, Ducks after Olen Zellweger NHL Draft day deal appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The Buffalo Sabres made some noise in the trade market ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. After dealing Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks for the fourth-overall pick, they needed a new defenseman. The Sabres picked up Olen Zellweger in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks ahead of the first round. How did both sides fare in the deal?

The Sabres sent young center Anton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick to Anaheim for Zellweger. Wahlberg was a second-round pick in 2023 and has yet to make his NHL debut. The 45th pick was sent from Chicago to the Sabres for Byram , and the Ducks were the team that used it. They took University of Wisconsin commit Jayden Kurtz in that spot.

Did the Sabres overpay to fill their defensive need? Or did the Ducks sell low on a potential star defender? Let's find out in the trade grades!

The Ducks moving into competitive window by going backwards

The Ducks broke a seven-year playoff drought this year, beating the Edmonton Oilers in the first round on top of it. But in the months since, they have only made their team worse. Zellweger joins John Carlson and Mason McTavish as regulars who have flown the nest . Troy Terry is also injured and could be out for months. While this was a nice trade value-wise, it opens up some needs for Anaheim.

Zellweger played 76 regular-season games for the Ducks last year, but only three in the postseason. This trade, along with his lack of playing time in the postseason, points to Joel Quenneville's impact on the roster . The veteran coach pushed Anaheim to the postseason in his first year behind the bench and is now impacting roster moves.

The Ducks get a B+for this trade, as they got some nice pieces back in return. But with Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba hitting free agency, their NHL defense depth chart is bleak, to say the least. This has to be the first of multiple moves on the blue line. Otherwise, it's a disaster for a promising club.

Does Olen Zellweger actually fill a need for the Sabres?

The Sabres won the Atlantic Division to break a 15-year postseason drought last season. Despite losing in the second round to the Montreal Canadiens , Buffalo believes they have a Stanley Cup window opening. They got a great offer for Byram that they could not pass up, and drafted Daxon Rudolph fourth overall as a future piece. But this trade is for the immediate Byram replacement.

By making this trade, the Sabres are admitting they don't know why Byram did not work in Buffalo. They have the market cornered on offense-first defenseman with finesse already on the team. Rasmus Dahlin was a Norris Trophy finalist last year, and Owen Power runs the second powerplay. So, without the offensive upside of playing a man up, what is Zellweger for?

A defenseman like Adam Pelech from the New York Islanders would have been a better fit for the Sabres. It is possible that the Islanders had no interest in selling Pelech at this time, which nullifies that argument, but that doesn't mean Zellweger is the right fit. A more physical, imposing defenseman would have made sense for Buffalo.

If Zellweger was the only defender they could get their hands on, then this is a fine trade. He needs a new contract, as he will be a restricted free agent on July 1. If they can keep his salary low, this is a decent acquisition that could pay off this season. The Sabres get a B, as this does not actually improve the team going forward. But if he scores points, it'll be seen as worth it.

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