Olen Zellweger Explained

Birth Date:10 September 2003
Birth Place:Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height Ft:5
Height In:9
Weight Lb:174
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:Anaheim Ducks
Prospect League:AHL
Ntl Team:CAN
Draft:34th overall
Draft Year:2021
Draft Team:Anaheim Ducks
Career Start:2022

Olen Zellweger (born September 10, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the second round, 34th overall, by the Ducks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Early life

Zellweger was born in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.[2]

Playing career

Zellweger was selected by the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the second round of 2018 prospect draft. He made his debut with the Silvertips at the age of 16 during the 2019–20 season. He played in 148 games for Everett registering 28 goals and 103 assists. He won the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as WHL defenceman of the year in 2021–22, marking the first time a Silvertips player won that trophy.[2]

He was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 34th overall, of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Zellweger signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ducks on August 13, 2021.[3] Later that season he would make his professional debut with the San Diego Gulls, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Ducks, playing a single playoff game and recording one assist.

For the 2022–23 season, Zellweger returned to the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. On January 8, 2023, Zellweger, along with Ryan Hofer were traded to the Memorial Cup hosting Kamloops Blazers in exchange for four players and ten draft picks.[2] [4] Though the Blazers were eliminated from the Memorial Cup, Zellweger was named to the tournament's all-star team.[5] He would go on to win his second Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy at the end of the year, the sixth Blazer to win the trophy.[6] He was named to the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) First All-Star team alongside Blazers' teammate Logan Stankoven,[7] and CHL Defenceman of the Year.[8]

For the 2023–24 season, Zellweger again joined the San Diego Gulls, where he was named to the AHL All-Star Game. On January 23, 2024, Zellweger was called up to the Anaheim Ducks.[9] He made his debut that night recording one assist in a win over the Buffalo Sabres.[10]

International play

Zellweger made his international debut for Canada with the national under-18 team at the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships. He registered eight points in Team Canada's seven-game tournament, which saw them defeat Russia for the gold medal.[11]

Six months later, Zellweger was selected to play for the national junior team at the initial 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships that took place beginning in December 2021. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was postponed until August, with all individual statistics retained but the team results erased.[12] In the new tournament in August of 2022, Zellweger played an important role in Team Canada's gold medal win, and was named to the tournament's All-Star Team.[13] He rejoined Team Canada for the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, which saw the national team win its twentieth World Junior gold.[14]

Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 NHL season, Zellweger accepted an invitation to make his senior national team debut at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2018–19Everett SilvertipsWHL1 0 0 0 0
2019–20Everett SilvertipsWHL58 2 10 12 8
2020–21Everett SilvertipsWHL11 2 11 13 2
2021–22Everett SilvertipsWHL55 14 64 78 236 2 7 9 4
2021–22San Diego GullsAHL1 0 1 1 0
2022–23Everett SilvertipsWHL23 10 18 28 12
2022–23Kamloops BlazersWHL32 22 30 52 2814 11 18 29 10
2023–24San Diego GullsAHL44 12 25 37 16
2023–24Anaheim DucksNHL26 2 7 9 4
NHL totals26 2 7 9 4

International

YearTeamEventResultGP G A Pts PIM
2019Canada RedU175th5 0 2 2 2
2021CanadaU187 1 7 8 2
2022CanadaWJC7 2 9 11 2
2023CanadaWJC7 0 6 6 4
2024CanadaWC4th10 0 5 5 2
Junior totals26 3 24 27 10
Senior totals10 0 5 5 2

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
CHL
CHL Defenceman of the Year2023
First All-Star Team2023
Memorial Cup All-Star Team2023
WHL
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy2022, 2023
US First All-Star Team2022
BC First All-Star Team2023
International
World Junior Championship Media All-Star Team2022

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Olen Zellweger. 2024-01-27. Elite Prospects.
  2. Web site: Tips blockbuster: Everett deals Zellweger, Hofer to Kamloops . Patterson . Nick . The Herald . January 8, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  3. Web site: Ducks Sign Draftees McTavish, Zellweger, Pastujov to Entry-Level Deals . Anaheim Ducks . August 13, 2021 . January 27, 2024.
  4. Web site: Trade: Silvertips send Zellweger, Hofer to Kamloops for four players, ten picks . Everett Silvertips . January 8, 2023 . January 27, 2024.
  5. Web site: AHL notebook: Clarke, Zellweger among top young defensemen . National Hockey League . December 7, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  6. Web site: Zellweger named recipient of Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as WHL Defenceman of the Year for 2022-23 presented by RE/MAX . Kamloops Blazers . Canadian Hockey League . May 9, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  7. Web site: Pats' Bedard, Svozil, Suzdalev named to CHL All-Star teams . . June 1, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  8. Web site: Regina Pats phenom Connor Bedard makes history at CHL Awards . . Abdulhamid . Ibrahim . The Canadian Press . June 3, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  9. Web site: Ducks Recall Defenseman Zellweger from San Diego . Anaheim Ducks . January 23, 2024 . January 27, 2024.
  10. Web site: Anaheim Ducks Prospect Olen Zellweger Makes NHL Debut. Earns First Point in Win Against Buffalo Sabres . The Hockey News . Collins . Dillon . January 24, 2024 . January 29, 2024.
  11. Web site: Zellweger Wins Gold at 2021 IIHF U18 World Championship. Canadian Hockey League. May 6, 2021. May 7, 2024.
  12. Web site: 'Driven, motivated' Zellweger looking for more hardware with Canada at world juniors . . Clipperton . Joshua . The Canadian Press . December 16, 2022 . January 29, 2024.
  13. Web site: Canada finalizes world juniors roster with some NHL adds, surprising cuts . Yahoo! Sports . Kennedy . Ian . December 12, 2022 . January 29, 2024.
  14. Web site: Canada claims 20th World Junior gold after 3-2 win against Czechia . Clipperton . Joshua . The Canadian Press . Global News . January 5, 2023 . January 29, 2024.
  15. Web site: Bedard, Celebrini highlight Canada's roster at the World Championship. TSN. May 3, 2024. May 7, 2024.