The Ducks have reassigned defenseman Olen Zellweger to the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Zellweger, 20 (9/10/03), recorded one assist (0-1=1) with a +2 rating in four games with Anaheim, including his first career point in his NHL debut Jan. 23 vs. Buffalo to become the fifth Ducks defenseman to record a point in their NHL debut. He returns to San Diego with 8-17=25 points in 34 AHL games with San Diego this season, ranking second among all AHL rookie blueliners in goals and points per game (.74), third in points and assists, while he also co-leads all AHL defensemen in power-play goals (3). He ranks tied for third among San Diego leaders in points and fourth in assists. He paces Gulls blueliners in goals and is second in scoring.
The 5-10, 189-pound defenseman was named to the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, the first Gulls rookie to be named an AHL-Star since Kalle Kossila (2017, Lehigh Valley) and fourth in franchise history.
Selected by Anaheim in the second round (34th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Zellweger was named the CHL Defenseman of the Year in 2022-23, the top defenseman among players in the OHL, QMJHL and WHL. He was also named the WHL Defenseman of the Year (Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy) for the second straight year. Zellweger led all CHL defensemen in points (32-48=80), goals and assists during the 2022-23 season, his second straight season leading all junior defensemen in scoring (also 14-64=78 in 2021-22).
The Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta native helped Canada to back-to-back gold medals at the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Championships, and also won gold at the 2021 U-18 World Championship.
