Devils Trade Target: Olen Zellweger
The New Jersey Devils need more offensive ability along their blue line. Olen Zellweger could be a fit if the Ducks make him available.
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Among the biggest concerns with the New Jersey Devils heading into the offseason is retooling the blue line.
That will be a challenge due to no-move and no-trade protection, but new general manager Sunny Mehta will need to add more mobility and puck-moving ability if the team wants to improve at five-on-five.
One target for Mehta could be Anaheim Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger.
Zellweger seemed to fall out of favor with Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville toward the end of the season. He was a healthy scratch for 13 straight games and did not appear in a playoff game until Game 4 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Zellweger may be a tad undersized (5-foot-10, 193 pounds), but his skill set is exactly what the Devils could use on their blue line if the Ducks make him available.
Devils’ Puck-Moving Woes
One of the Devils’ biggest issues this season was breaking out of the defensive zone. That was partly due to a lack of skill on their blue line, as the Devils have far too many defensive defensemen.
Brenden Dillon was arguably the defenseman who struggled in transition. He ranked in the fourth percentile in entries and entries possession rate. He also ranked in the 21st percentile in exit possession rate and the second percentile in pass exits.
Šimon Nemec was a mixed bag as well. He was one of the best defensemen in the NHL when it came to zone entries, but zone exits were a different story.
Nemec ranked in the seventh percentile in exits, 11th percentile in exit success rate, and 13th percentile in pass exits.
The only Devils’ defensemen who had some success exiting the defensive zone were Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, and Jonas Siegenthaler.
If you don’t believe me about Siegenthaler, he ranked in the 67th percentile in exits, 66th percentile in exit possession rate, and 60th percentile in pass exits.
There’s no data available for Johnathan Kovacevic and Brett Pesce due to their limited samples because of injuries, but they aren’t exactly offensive defensemen. Clearly, the Devils need to move on from some of their current defensemen and add some more skill and skating ability on the back end.
Zellweger’s Makeup
This is where Zellweger comes in. His production stagnated from the 2024-25 season, but his underlying metrics were still solid in 2025-26.
Zellweger was highly efficient in transition this season. He can pass the puck out cleanly, but he’s also not afraid to skate the puck out of the defensive zone on his own; he ranked in the 98th percentile in carry exits.
Aside from his efficiency in zone exits, Zellweger also ranked above the 85th percentile in zone entries and entries with possession.
He’s not just a one-trick pony, though. Zellweger can create offense off the rush, and he’s not afraid to shoot the puck. He generally creates dangerous looks, and he sets up his teammates for shooting opportunities in the offensive zone:
Another standout of Zellweger’s game is his skating ability. He ranked in the 99th percentile in speed bursts between 18 and 20 mph and 20 and 22 mph. He can turn on the jets when he needs to, and it’s part of why he’s so efficient in transition.
Overall, Zellweger’s impacts look pretty good. The microstats paint a picture of someone who may be due for a breakout campaign, but there’s a lot to like about what he has to offer:
As you can see in the player card above, Zellweger has trended upward in each of the last three seasons. If the Ducks are looking to move on from him, the Devils should be in on talks. But what could he cost?
Potential Price of Acquiring Zellweger
There honestly aren’t many great comps for what it could cost the Devils to acquire Zellweger. The Colorado Avalanche traded Bowen Byram for Casey Mittelstadt when he was 22, the same age as Zellweger.
Mittelstadt had totaled 47 points in 62 games at the time of the trade, but a similar return for Zellweger seems like an overpay at this time.
Another comp could be what the Washington Capitals spent to acquire Rasmus Sandin in 2023. They gave up a 2023 first-round pick (Boston Bruins) and Erik Gustafsson to acquire him.
A first-round pick is probably a touch high for Zellweger, but a second-rounder and a good prospect or depth NHLer is probably in the general ballpark of what it’d take to acquire him.
Another scenario I’ve wondered about involves Dougie Hamilton. I’ve made my stance clear on Hamilton and why the Devils should retain him, but let’s say that situation is beyond repair.
The Ducks need right-handed shots on their blue line, and Hamilton would be a fit for them if he’s willing to accept a trade there. Could Zellweger and a second or third-round pick go in return to the Devils? That seems plausible.
Regardless, the Devils should target Zellweger if the Ducks make him available. He may be a bit undersized, but former general manager Tom Fitzgerald tried to add some size and harder-to-play-against defensemen, and it didn’t work.
Zellweger would check off a few boxes for the Devils. I wouldn’t expect him to come in and be a top-pair defender, but every team needs a couple of defensemen who can crush second- or third-pair minutes.
Zellweger’s underlying metrics suggest he has that potential, and he would give the Devils the different look that they need on their blue line.
Microstats/advanced stats from Hockey Stats (JFresh)