NHL Teams Swap Players, Picks
Ducks Trade Zellweger to Sabres for Wahlberg, Draft Pick in Blue Line Reshuffle
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Key Points
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The Ducks’ 2026 draft plan includes seven picks, notably 45th and 50th overall, but they do not own a first‑round pick in 2026 after sending theirs to Washington in the John Carlson deal, giving them flexibility to flip picks for roster help if they choose.
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Anton Wahlberg is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound forward who spent last season in the AHL Rochester, tallying 37 points in 68 games; he’s expected to start in the minors but brings a strong forechecking presence and size to the Ducks’ system.
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Zellweger was benched late in the season and scratched for the final four regular-season games and the entire first round, reflecting a shift in the Ducks’ defense lineup; his smaller frame (5-foot-10, 193 pounds) has been cited as a factor in how teams view him.
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There is ongoing speculation around Mason McTavish, with reported interest from the New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues; insiders say the Ducks don’t want to be sellers and would likely flip acquired picks to add a roster player.
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Zellweger is set to be an restricted free agent on July 1, and Buffalo must issue a qualifying offer (about $874,125) to retain his rights; teams are weighing short-term vs. long-term contract paths, with projections in the two-year/$3.24M range or seven-year/$6.5M range.
The Buffalo Sabres landed defenseman Olen Zellweger from the Anaheim Ducks on June 26 in a draft-day deal, sending prospect Anton Wahlberg and the 45th overall pick in the 2026 draft back to Anaheim, according to Reuters. The move gives Buffalo a young, puck-moving blueliner at a low cost, while Anaheim gets bigger and restocks its prospect cupboard.
The trade reshapes both rosters ahead of free agency. It also came just hours before reports surfaced that Anaheim had sent center Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues, signaling a sweeping overhaul of the Ducks' young core in a single 24-hour stretch.
Zellweger Benched Late, Then Shipped Out
Zellweger, 22, posted 22 points in 76 games this past season and has 51 points in 164 career NHL games, per NHL.com. But his season ended on a sour note. He was a healthy scratch for Anaheim's final four regular-season games and sat out the entire first round of the 2026 playoffs.
A crowded blue line drove the decision. The emergence of Pavel Mintyukov and Jackson LaCombe, plus the mid-season addition of veteran Jacob Trouba, left little room for Zellweger. Analyst Elliotte Friedman noted that Anaheim was "determined to get bigger and harder to play against" — and at 5-foot-10 and 193 pounds, Zellweger did not fit that mold, according to Sportsnet.
Buffalo Fills the Byram Gap on the Cheap
The Sabres moved defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago just two days before landing Zellweger, per NHL.com. They also traded forward Alex Tuch to Washington. The back-to-back moves cleared cap space and opened a spot for a younger, cheaper puck-mover to support Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.
Zellweger fits that gap. Local Buffalo media have called the deal a "bridge" move — he can contribute right now but is still young enough to grow with the team's core. He enters restricted free agency on July 1. Buffalo must issue a qualifying offer of about $874,125 to keep his rights, with long-term projections ranging from a two-year deal near $3.24 million to a seven-year pact at $6.5 million per year, per Pro Hockey Rumors.
Wahlberg Brings Size Anaheim Has Been Missing
In return, Anaheim gets Anton Wahlberg, a 20-year-old Swedish forward who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 205 pounds. He spent last season with the AHL's Rochester Americans, posting 37 points in 68 games, per Elite Prospects. He is expected to start the 2026-27 season in the minors but is seen as a future top-nine NHL forward.
The 45th pick — originally belonging to the New York Islanders — adds more draft capital for Anaheim. The Ducks entered the 2026 draft without a first-round pick after sending it to Washington in the John Carlson trade. They now hold seven selections in 2026, including two second-rounders at 45th and 50th overall, per Pro Hockey Rumors.
McTavish Deal Signals Full Anaheim Rebuild Reset
The Zellweger trade was only the start. The morning after, reports confirmed Anaheim had also traded McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the 15th and 29th overall picks in 2026, according to The Hockey News. In under 24 hours, the Ducks moved two of their most prominent young players.
Anaheim now carries over $44 million in projected cap space heading into free agency, per Pro Hockey Rumors. GM Pat Verbeek has framed the moves as "asset optimization," adding size and draft picks. But some analysts see it differently. Steve Dangle called the Zellweger trade a "gamble on raw talent vs. system fit," questioning whether the Ducks gave up on a high-ceiling skater too soon.
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