ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Ducks have a number of promising forwards and blueliners on their roster, and Oren Zellweger is one of the up-and-coming players who could be a good defenseman for Anaheim. Zellweger has grown on every level and is now on track to become a family duck sooner rather than later.
The Ducks selected the Alberta native early in the second round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and he has made steady progress since then. Zellweger scored 32 points for the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim's minor league affiliate, ranking third in scoring among all rookie defensive players in the American Hockey League. The Ducks briefly called him up in late January, appearing in four total games, including an assist in his NHL debut, before being sent back to the AHL. Success in the AHL earned him an invitation to his AHL All-Stars Classic, where he recorded 3 assists in a challenge against the league's strongest teams.
Zellweger previously played in the Western Hockey League with both the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers. Last season, he led all defensemen on both teams in scoring with 32 goals and won the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy, which is given to the WHL's best defenseman, for the second year in a row. He was also named his league's Defenseman of the Year in Canadian Hockey, where he is a member of the WHL and was a major contributor to Kamloops' league title win. He scored 29 points, tied for second in the league in the WHL playoffs. Zellweger also represented Team Canada at the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Championships, winning gold at both events.
Zellweger plays as a two-way defenseman. The 20-year-old skates with total confidence and his playmaking in the neutral zone creates opportunities for himself and his teammates. He also has an incredible shot, and his mobility allows him to make plays anywhere on the ice. At only 5 feet 9 inches tall, he's on the small side for an NHL defenseman, but he still has the potential to be elite at the NHL level if he can continue to create offensive opportunities while playing good enough defense. .
His first and only assist of his Ducks career came from a shot from right of the point to Sabers netminder Ukko-Pekka Lukonen, who chipped in the puck that was hit by center Sam Carrick for a score. He showed great shooting ability.
Anaheim had to part ways with another highly-anticipated defenseman, Jamie Drysdale, in order to acquire star forward prospect Cutter Gauthier. While releasing Drysdale may have seemed detrimental to the Ducks' blueliner pipeline, Zellweger's meteoric trajectory should give the front office confidence in the team's defensive future.
If Zellweger joins Pavel Minchukov full-time at the NHL level, the Ducks could find long-term success at the defenseman position. Zellweger's hockey sense is very polished for such a young player, and if his talent, skill, and durability translate to the pros, Anaheim could see him become a top-four point-producing blueliner. You can expect it to happen.
Anaheim's promising pipeline is one of the deepest in the league. If the Gauthier trade hadn't happened, Drysdale likely would have been the top choice for the Ducks' defense, but now Zellweger has been given the open stage. If he can continue to play at this elite level, his path to the NHL will be clear.
