He looks like a star in the making. I thought MN got a steal with Lambos at #26, but this guy is something else. He isn't tall, but he's already 2" taller than Jared Spurgeon, and he looks squat and strong. Would like to see more of him under a heavy forecheck, but when he has the puck on his stick he is money.
LHD Olen Zellweger - San Diego Gulls, AHL (2021, 34th, ANA)
- Thread starter Dominance
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He was pretty feisty at rookie tournament, wasn’t afraid to battle along boards
GunnarStahl
Let’s go shake their hands
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Age considered, if he was born 5 days later he could be a top 5-10 talent in the 2022 draft.
Great pick up for Anaheim
Great pick up for Anaheim
Yep, you could argue we got a lottery pick in this years draft
Zell has the same birthday as Troy Terry, Sept 10th, who was also a steal (but took some time to flourish). Terry was even less physically developed, Zell seems like he has grown out, just needs to add strength. But the relative stats to peers might undersold what they are really capable of.
Arthuros
Registered Snoozer
Not to say that Zell isn't amazing and that he wouldn't have cracked Team Canada had Clarke been present, but I think Clarke's exclusion might be for reasons other than play (possibly related to the Kings not releasing Byfield?)
Mind you, I'm hella stoked that Canada's 1C and top-pairing RD are both Ducks prospects.
Fantomas
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Arthuros
Registered Snoozer
Wasn't specifically saying that Clarke was absent due to injury - my point was that Clarke is absent for reasons other than play, despite his play being clearly good enough to be on the opening night roster regardless.
Fantomas
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What are the reasons for which he's absent and how are they mutually exclusive from his play?
bsu
"I have no idea what I am doing" -Pat VerBleak
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How do you know this? His defense/skating was mentioned... Clarke/Zel play a similar role and I guess they liked Zel more. He is proving them right so far he looks phenomenal.
Arthuros
Registered Snoozer
The theories I've heard being batted around is that Clarke has either rubbed the Team Canada brass the wrong way, or this is petty revenge because Byfield wasn't released by the Kings to play.
Regardless, my point was that Clarke isn't on the team now, but it's a bit facetious to say Zell took Clarke's spot straight up. If Clarke was invited, both he and Zell would be in.
I should point out is that there was no "beating out" involved - Clarke wasn't even let in the door.
Fantomas
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I still don’t get that theory…
Drysdale could be released, and Anaheim obviously wouldn’t/didn’t let him…. So why did Canada take mctavish and zelle
mind you I don’t think zell “Clarkes” spot…. I think both should be on the team.
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I feel like our last few drafts got a bit slept on at least at the draft/initially after
Agreed on both.
Why would Team Canada shoot themselves and their player in the foot regarding Byfield? No sense at all, there must be something else.
And yeah, if Zell took Clarkes spot then why was he touted as the best defenceman in the games?
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
Agreed on both.
Why would Team Canada shoot themselves and their player in the foot regarding Byfield? No sense at all, there must be something else.
And yeah, if Zell took Clarkes spot then why was he touted as the best defenceman in the games?
When they interviewed LA's head scout re: the selection process he was absolutely livid but still didn't reveal too much, but reading between the lines the suggestion was his defense wasn't good enough/he didn't fit the team philosophy (Clarke) FWIW.
I don't think it's related to Zellweger outside one poster's constant crusade to exalt a Ducks prospect over a corresponding Kings prospect, though, those selections seem pretty interdependent to me, especially given Canada is rolling with NO righties
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I still think both should have been chosen... i dont think canada needs to throw away offense from the back end because maybe clarke doesnt play good enough defense... just toss him on PP/3rd pairing and let him generate some offense... and earn time after that.
Still a crazy decision to me.
But i am excited to see Zellweger playing with Power
Even I have seen Zell limited time up to now. Really looking forward seeing some more, against a good competition. Especially how he does defensively.
If the rumors of him being on the 1st pair with Power are true, that would be massive.
PS
He and Power are the same draft, yet has 11 month age difference
If the rumors of him being on the 1st pair with Power are true, that would be massive.
PS
He and Power are the same draft, yet has 11 month age difference
Raccoon Jesus
We were right there
Again not that it's really a comparison but I could see them thinking a player like Olen has a more defined role.
I do think the complaints about Clarke's defense are overwrought at best, out-to-lunch at worst, but they did specifically select certain players, so they clearly have a vision for him in some way
Goose of Reason
El Zilcho
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I think very up and down. Szovil absolutely walked him for one of the Czech goals in the first but I thought he got better as the game went on. His goal was a snipe but before that he did all the work on the zone entry to get that PP set up.
He did get walked on but overall did any Canadian player have a bad game?
They just dominated and I thought that the score was very flattering to the Czechs.
TopShelfWaterBottle
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bsu
"I have no idea what I am doing" -Pat VerBleak
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