Olen Zellweger’s move to Buffalo comes with a clear sell: the Sabres believe they’re getting a defenseman whose offense can pop right away, even if the rest of his game still needs sanding down.
That was the impression Josh Doan came away with after skating alongside Zellweger in Canada this summer. Doan, who had a breakout first season in Buffalo, didn’t hold back when he described his new teammate to Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald.
"A pretty special hockey player," Doan told Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald. "People are going to notice right away how offensively gifted he is and the difference he can make for us right away."
Buffalo made the bet in June, acquiring the 22-year-old from the Anaheim Ducks after three seasons in Orange County. Zellweger had flashes of offense there, but the inconsistency - especially in his own end - pushed Anaheim to move on.
The numbers show the production was there in spurts. Zellweger finished his Ducks run with 51 points, scoring 16 goals and adding 35 assists in 164 games.
The Sabres are counting on that upside to help replace Bowen Byram, who was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks after posting 42 points in 82 games last season. Buffalo’s answer came quickly and cheaply by comparison: Zellweger signed a three-year, $9.3 million extension worth $3.1 million per year, while Byram landed a six-year, $75 million deal from Chicago at $12.5 million annually that starts next season.
What Buffalo wants next is a cleaner defensive game. The hope is that Zellweger can grow into a reliable top-four option, ideally making the schematic tweaks that have been discussed for his defensive-zone play unnecessary.
For now, the plan sounds more measured than all-in. Zellweger is expected to bounce around the second pair with Owen Power, with the Sabres likely leaning on a rotation. He should get offensive-zone starts and other scoring chances, while Conor Timmins and Louis Crevier, who came back in the Byram deal, handle more of the defensive load.
The setup makes sense when you look at Lindy Ruff’s system. Buffalo wants its defensemen aggressive, active and willing to push play forward. Ruff encourages his blueliners to jump-start breakouts, join the rush and work up the boards to keep the puck alive in the cycle.
That kind of environment should suit Zellweger, one of the NHL’s best skaters. Last season, NHL EDGE tracked him in the 98th or 99th percentile in all three skating-burst speed categories, and his ability to glide up ice with the puck was a constant in Anaheim.
It does not mean he’s suddenly a Norris Trophy candidate, but it does mean the Sabres are putting him in a spot to lean into what he already does best. Getting comfortable there will matter before any bigger leap comes, just as it did for Mattias Samuelsson.
Buffalo also doesn’t appear eager to overload him early. His special-teams work should be limited, though he could steal some minutes from Power on the No. 2 power play. The priority is simple: help him win his 5-on-5 shifts in favorable matchups and let confidence build from there, especially in the defensive zone.
If that all clicks, Zellweger could become another difference-maker on the blue line when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive in the spring.
The Sabres are trying to get back to the postseason for a second straight year after ending a 14-year drought, and another big season from the defense corps will be a major part of that push.
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For the Sabres, the path to getting past Montreal starts with areas that have to improve, especially in goal. The gap is not just about chasing the Canadiens in the standings or trying to match them shift for shift, but proving Buffalo can handle a team that has already shown it can stand in the way when the games matter most. If that matchup ends the same way again, the pressure to shake up the roster is going to get a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]