The Anaheim Ducks just wrapped up the first week of their 30th Anniversary season. While their 1-4 record might not indicate it, they have played pretty well. The energy feels different. They’re hungrier offensively, better defensively, and playing with more urgency. A key takeaway from the campaign so far? The rookies.
Which brings us to catching up on Olen Zellweger. The top-tier Ducks prospect was left off the opening-night roster and has subsequently begun his professional career with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, San Diego Gulls. We’ll recap how he got there, how he’s doing so far, and project if he will join the Ducks this season.
How Did Zellweger Get Here?
All Zellweger has done since he was selected 34th overall in 2021 is dominate his competition in both the Western Hockey League and international play. In the past two years alone, he has compiled quite a resume as a two-time Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy winner as the WHL’s top defenseman, Canadian Hockey League defenseman of the year, 2022-23 CHL playoff season points leader for a defenseman, third best points-per-game average in WHL history among defensemen, and more.
Alongside some fellow Anaheim draftees, he was a crucial piece of two Team Canada World Junior Championships. Following a mid-season trade to the Kamloops Blazers, he piled up numbers with ease as he led the team to an appearance in the Memorial Cup. He and the Blazers fell short, but the tournament was Zellweger’s last dose of junior hockey.
The Ducks’ training cap was competitive, especially on defense, where the Ducks had more top-flight prospects than they did NHL regulars competing for spots. Ultimately, from the pool of defensive prospects – Pavel Mintyukov, Tristan Luneau, Tyson Hinds, Drew Helleson, and Zellweger – some were not going to make the team, but the competition brought the best out of each skater and made the preseason worth following.
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Zellweger had a respectable preseason. But so did Mintyukov and Luneau, which begs the question, why them and not Zellweger? The easy answer is that there were too many players and not enough spots. It’s also possible that general manager Pat Verbeek and head coach Greg Cronin felt that, of the three, Zellweger needed to refine his defensive game, which would be best done in San Diego with the Gulls.
Zellweger Surrounded by Familiar Faces in San Diego
During the later rounds of roster cuts, management and the coaching staff assigned the young defender to the AHL, where he joined former Team Canada teammates Nathan Gaucher and Tyson Hinds. According to Gaucher and Zellweger, familiarity and being reunited will serve them well. In a recent interview, Zellweger said of his World Juniors experience with fellow Ducks that “it was especially more fun to win. Having two other Ducks prospects on the same team was pretty cool.” Gaucher had a similar take, stating that “[…] we know how to win, and we’re just here enjoying our time in San Diego.”
Both make good points. Winning is fun, and they’ve done plenty of it together. The hope is, they can replicate that magic for the Ducks. The journey may begin in San Diego, but all roads lead up the 5 Freeway to Anaheim and the NHL one day.
How’s Zellweger Doing So Far?
Over the summer, Verbeek foreshadowed that his young players would spend time in the AHL when he tasked new Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane with “building champions” and “[making] them understand how to be a pro.”
To that end, if there are any aspects of Zellweger’s game that need polishing at the pro level, it is his defensive play. Not irresponsible defensively by any stretch, but he likes to take chances – jump into the play, carry the puck. These are adjustments a player of his caliber will certainly make. On the flip side, In just a few games, he’s already shown that his offensive capabilities will translate just fine. He has one goal, three assists, and 13 shots on goal in the young season.
Will Zellweger Get a Call-Up This Season?
If and when Zellweger gets a call-up depends on his health, the health of the Ducks’ roster, and the performance of other rookies (and veterans) ahead of him in the pecking order, among other factors.
We’ll follow closely what management decides to do with Luneau. He is ineligible to play in the AHL, meaning, he will play the whole season in Anaheim or he will go back to junior before his 10th NHL game. That will certainly play a role in Zellweger’s situation.
For my money, it seems more like a “when, not if” question, doesn’t it? He is so talented. Mintyukov and Luneau might have a size advantage, but the three are similarly skilled, and they’ve all won the same awards. In fact, Zellweger is the most decorated of them all. So, do I think he will make his NHL debut by mid-season this year? I certainly do.
Any thoughts on Zellweger’s time in San Diego so far? Sound off below!
