With four points (one goal, three assists) in his last two games, Olen Zellweger has flashed the offensive potential that earned him the hype and accolades that he’s carried with him the last few years on his path to professional hockey. Here’s a refresher: two-time World Junior champion (2022, 2023), U18 World champion (2021), CHL Defenseman of the Year (2023), CHL Memorial Cup All-Star, and, most recently, American Hockey League All-Star (2024). Am I missing anything?
Yes, two games are about as small a sample size as you can get. Does that really matter, though? Eliminated from their sixth straight postseason long ago now, the Anaheim Ducks are not playing meaningful hockey (other than spoiler) which means players like Zellweger should feel fast, loose, and free to play their games. And that’s exactly what he’s done in the close loss to the Vancouver Canucks (March 31) and impressive victory over the Calgary Flames (April 2). Let’s examine the offensive qualities that we should continue to see out of him during the final stretch.
Zellweger First Ducks D-Man in a Long Time to Actively Pursue Offense
It’s been years since a Ducks defenseman thought about offense the way Zellweger has. Lately, we’ve seen him be the first skater in on a forecheck, carry the puck through the neutral zone, and shoot the puck from all angles. Who was the last defenseman for the Ducks with that kind of energy? Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Shea Theodore, Sami Vatanen? All nope. Brandon Montour? Maybe, because he had a similarly endless motor and eye for offense. I am not saying that Zellweger is already better than all of those players, because he’s not. But the fact remains that he, more than any of these players during their time in a Ducks uniform, is different.
Granted, Zellweger comes into the league with far more offensive upside than most of those guys I just mentioned. After all, he put up numbers at the amateur level that virtually no defenseman ever has before, let alone a Ducks prospect. Time will tell if that prowess translates, but if his first 20 NHL games are any indication, he will be hunting for offense just as he did at every level before. It’s both refreshing and necessary for a Ducks backend that seldom produces reliable offense.
Zellweger Has Led the Way Offensively with Latest Efforts
These last two games are the perfect example. His first NHL goal was scored from a spot you don’t see many defensemen score from. Coming onto the ice after a line change, Zellweger entered the zone with some speed, skated into a pass from Isac Lundestrom, skated all the way down below the face-off dot, and let it rip short-side. Zellweger saw an opportunity to activate and carry the puck toward the net, took it, and was rewarded for it.
Related: Recapping the Ducks’ Easter Weekend Doubleheader
He was even more impressive against the Flames. His offensive instincts and timing were so good. On each assist, he knew exactly when to get rid of the puck. He didn’t hold on to it for too long, and put the puck in high-danger areas which created chances for the puck to be redirected, which is what happened on the first two. On the third and final, he backed the defense up with his skating, dished the puck at the right moment, and got to the net in case a rebound popped out. These are plays by a young defenseman that Ducks fans should be excited about.
Offensive Abilities Are Great, But So Are Defensive Abilities
Zellweger may have more points in his last two games than he did in his first 18, but he’s a defenseman first. And the Ducks are just as desperate for solid, technical defense as they are for offense. This was all but confirmed by Greg Cronin in his postgame comments against the Flames, when he mentioned that the emphasis for Zellweger early on, including his time in the AHL, was the growth of his defensive game. This realm will be crucial for not only Zellweger, but also Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, and the several other young defensemen in the system that will be given opportunities to play meaningful roles for this team in the future.
They clearly saw enough from him to give him a full-time spot over the season’s final six weeks, which is why we are getting a preview of him now before he presumably takes a top-four role in Anaheim next season. It’s been an extensive preview, at that. On top of averaging 18:45 in ice time per game, he is getting opportunities in all situations.
Expect Zellweger to Get Better as He Goes
Zellweger’s instincts, while overzealous at times, will serve him well at this level. He may be mistake-prone but in these latest efforts, on offense specifically, he has been fast, smart, efficient, and timely. These, coupled with his immense technical skill – skating, stickhandling, strength, and vision – made him one of the most proficient scorers in recent junior hockey history and it is with this lethal blend of attributes that he will continue to get better the more he plays. With all but six games left in the 2023-24 season, expect it to be all-systems go for Zellweger. I know I’ll be watching.
What do you think of Zellweger’s most recent performances? How about his season so far? Do you agree with his potential?