Olen Zellweger
Canadian ice hockey player (born 2003)
Ice hockey player
| Olen Zellweger | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Zellweger in 2023 with the Kamloops Blazers | |||
| Born | (2003-09-10) September 10, 2003 (age 20) Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team | Anaheim Ducks | ||
| NHL Draft | 34th overall, 2021 Anaheim Ducks | ||
| Playing career | 2022–present | ||
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
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ice hockey | ||
Representing  Canada | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
 | 2022 Canada | |
| 2023 Canada | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
| 2021 United States | |
Zellweger was selected to play for Team Canada for 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 statistics from the games played in December to be erased. (Zellweger scored once in the two games he played).[11] In the new tournament in August, Zellweger was an important cog in Team Canada's gold medal win, being named to the tournament's all-star team.[12] He made Team Canada again for the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships which went on to win the country's 20th gold medal in the tournament.[13]
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2018–19 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 58 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 11 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 55 | 14 | 64 | 78 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Everett Silvertips | WHL | 23 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Kamloops Blazers | WHL | 32 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 28 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 10 | ||
| 2023–24 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 44 | 12 | 25 | 37 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 26 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 26 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Canada Red | U17 | 5th | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Canada | U18 |  | 7 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Canada | WJC | | 7 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2023 | Canada | WJC | | 7 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 26 | 3 | 24 | 27 | 10 | ||||
Awards and honours
| Award | Year | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHL | |||
| CHL Defenceman of the Year | 2023 | ||
| First All-Star Team | 2023 | ||
| Memorial Cup All-Star Team | 2023 | ||
| WHL | |||
| Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy | 2022, 2023 | ||
| US First All-Star Team | 2022 | ||
| BC First All-Star Team | 2023 | ||
References
- ^ "Olen Zellweger". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ a b c Patterson, Nick (January 8, 2023). "Tips blockbuster: Everett deals Zellweger, Hofer to Kamloops". The Herald. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "Ducks Sign Draftees McTavish, Zellweger, Pastujov to Entry-Level Deals". Anaheim Ducks. August 13, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Trade: Silvertips send Zellweger, Hofer to Kamloops for four players, ten picks". Everett Silvertips. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "AHL notebook: Clarke, Zellweger among top young defensemen". National Hockey League. December 7, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "Zellweger named recipient of Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as WHL Defenceman of the Year for 2022-23 presented by RE/MAX". Kamloops Blazers. May 9, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Canadian Hockey League.
- ^ "Pats' Bedard, Svozil, Suzdalev named to CHL All-Star teams". Regina Leader-Post. June 1, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Ibrahim, Abdulhamid (June 3, 2023). "Regina Pats phenom Connor Bedard makes history at CHL Awards". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ "Ducks Recall Defenseman Zellweger from San Diego". Anaheim Ducks. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Collins, Dillon (January 24, 2024). "Anaheim Ducks Prospect Olen Zellweger Makes NHL Debut. Earns First Point in Win Against Buffalo Sabres". The Hockey News. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Clipperton, Joshua (December 16, 2022). "'Driven, motivated' Zellweger looking for more hardware with Canada at world juniors". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Ian (December 12, 2022). "Canada finalizes world juniors roster with some NHL adds, surprising cuts". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
- ^ Clipperton, Joshua (January 5, 2023). "Canada claims 20th World Junior gold after 3-2 win against Czechia". Global News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
