The Buffalo Sabres have been a very busy team in recent times, with the team dealing both Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram in the week leading into the 2026 NHL Draft, acquiring plenty of draft capital in the process.
Now wielding the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, the Sabres are reportedly prepared to make a big move, and after breaking their Stanley Cup Playoffs drought, this is a team that’s ready to make a splash. With the draft just hours away, the team haven’t stopped dealing, and while it’s not the blockbuster that many expected, the Sabres have added a talented blue liner to the organization.
Buffalo Sabres Land Olen Zellweger in Shock Deal
GettyOlen Zellweger with the Anaheim Ducks.
After moving out Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks and Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks, the Sabres needed another body on the blue line, and on Friday with just hours until the draft, they made a deal.
First reported by Elliotte Friedman, the Sabres are acquiring 22-year-old Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect Anton Wahlberg and the 45th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
For
Anton Wahlberg and the 45th pick
This past season was Zellweger’s best in the National Hockey League, as he posted 7 goals and 22 points across 76 games, and while those numbers don’t jump off the page, he was limited to third pairing minutes throughout the year in Anaheim behind their veteran blue line. On top of that, he was a healthy scratch several times throughout their Stanley Cup Playoffs run, and now, the Sabres acquire a young defenseman with immense offensive potential to fill the void left by Bowen Byram.
Not only that, but they get a much cheaper contract in Zellweger, with the young blue liner not expected to cost anywhere near the amount of Byram, with this move representing another great one for Jarmo Kekalainen as Sabres GM.
Anaheim Ducks Make one of Potentially Several Deals
As for the Ducks, they acquire a solid center prospect in Wahlberg, as the 6-foot-4, 20-year old forward tallied 9 goals and 38 points across 60 AHL games this past season, showing signs of potentially being a 3C at the NHL level. It’s more likely that he doesn’t pan out to be too much at the next level, but on top of that, they also land the No. 45 overall pick, and given how valuable picks are with the draft just hours away, they can potentially flip that or add another talented prospect to the organization.
This comes amid all of the speculation around Mason McTavish, who many believe could be dealt today ahead of the draft with St. Louis and New York among the interested teams. Ultimately though, this deal is one that works for both organizations, as the Sabres get an NHL ready defenseman who is set for a bigger role as a Byram replacement, while the Ducks get a solid prospect and another draft pick that they could use in many different ways over the coming NHL Draft weekend.
Buffalo Sabres Acquire Young Anaheim Ducks Defenseman