The Buffalo Sabres didn't make many additions this offseason, but one that they did could end up being one of the more impactful moves across the entire NHL. Recently, Sportsnet put together its 12 best under-the-radar offseason moves, and Olen Zellweger was among this group.
The Sabres traded for Zellweger shortly after moving Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks. It only required prospect Anton Wahlberg and an early second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
This is not a big price to pay for a 22-year-old defenseman who already has 164 games and had the most points of his career last season with 22. There are certainly questions surrounding Zellweger, as he saw his role decrease towards the end of the season and was even a healthy scratch for the first nine games of the Ducks' playoff run.
However, he made an immediate impact once he got a chance to be on the ice, scoring the game-tying goal in Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights before the Ducks would ultimately lose in overtime.
Buffalo Sabres are betting on the upside of Olen Zellweger
As David Morassutti with Sportsnet notes about Zellweger, he is one of the faster defensemen in the NHL. He is a good skater who can carry the puck out of the zone, and this is something the Sabres really value.
"He ranked among the NHL's fastest-skating defencemen, according to NHL Edge, sitting fifth in speed bursts between 20 and 22 m.p.h. behind Matthew Schaefer, Cale Makar, Jake Sanderson and Quinn Hughes.
Zellweger's ability to carry the puck and generate offence from the back end also stands out as he controlled 53.3 per cent of shot attempts at five-on-five while on the ice, tied for the best mark among the team's regular defencemen."
After trading for Zellweger, the Sabres had to do a little more work, as he was a restricted free agent at the time. They agreed to a three-year deal later in the summer, and this gives him time to hopefully grow into that Top 4 role next to Owen Power and replace Byram.
Shortly after trading for Zellweger, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen talked about what he likes about Zellweger, and he mentioned games played as a good measure for a defenseman. It is not the first time someone from the Sabres has talked about defensemen needing about 200 games to really get a feel for the game.
That was the case last season for Mattias Samuelsson, who cracked that 200-game mark and had a breakout season. For Zellweger, he has already played 164 games and, if he remains healthy, should reach that same milestone.
If the Sabres are right, then this will certainly end up being one of the top moves this offseason, and David Morassutti was smart to include him in his list.
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