Player Discussion Olen Zellweger

[Hinterland]

What?
Physiscality would be a nice ad, but it will not determine wether he will be a successful NHL defenceman or not. There is no way he will ever become a punishing defenceman, lol. He needs to build up his strenght as much as possible but first and foremost he will have to be smart and fast to defend in the NHL.
I don't think Girard or Spurgeon are physical, but they are flvery good defencemen.
If Zel can throw a hit here and there - nice. But it will not be something that will keep him in the lineup, lol

I don't think Girard is any good. Too soft, too small and can't defend either. What keeps him in the league is his ability to put up points when given quality ice time like offensive zone starts or PP-time alongside good players. Unfortunately, I don't think Zellweger's hands are nearly as good as Girard's.

Spurgeon is probably a better comparison but he's really good against the puck. Extremely smart player. Good stick and elite positioning. I haven't seen anything like it from Zellweger.

I think the only way for Zellweger to stick in the NHL is to add significant size and become Ballard 2.0. Ballard also was a smallish guy without elite hands but quite some offense. He managed to stick around thanks to his solid play against the puck and his trade mark hip checks. He wasn't a high volume hitter but he was fearless and not afraid of the biggest of the big. That's the way Zellweger has to play. I don't expect him to run over everybody but he has to hit the gym in order to hold his own in battles and play with an edge here and there when necessary.

So to hear he's devoloping some kind of an edge already is very very encouraging after he proved to be highly allergic to contact back at the WJC18.

 

[Kalv]

I don't think Girard is any good. Too soft, too small and can't defend either. What keeps him in the league is his ability to put up points when given quality ice time like offensive zone starts or PP-time alongside good players. Unfortunately, I don't think Zellweger's hands are nearly as good as Girard's.

Spurgeon is probably a better comparison but he's really good against the puck. Extremely smart player. Good stick and elite positioning. I haven't seen anything like it from Zellweger.

I think the only way for Zellweger to stick in the NHL is to add significant size and become Ballard 2.0. Ballard also was a smallish guy without elite hands but quite some offense. He managed to stick around thanks to his solid play against the puck and his trade mark hip checks. He wasn't a high volume hitter but he was fearless and not afraid of the biggest of the big. That's the way Zellweger has to play. I don't expect him to run over everybody but he has to hit the gym in order to hold his own in battles and play with an edge here and there when necessary.

So to hear he's devoloping some kind of an edge already is very very encouraging after he proved to be highly allergic to contact back at the WJC18.

While of course he will have to work on his streght, I just don't agree with this. I think it's not what will make or break him. Work on defensive end - of course as well. But him trying to become a goon would be the absolute wrong direction to go, imo.

 

[Hinterland]

While of course he will have to work on his streght, I just don't agree with this. I think it's not what will make or break him. Work on defensive end - of course as well. But him trying to become a goon would be the absolute wrong direction to go, imo.

You should read my posts again. I never suggested he should become a goon. I said he'll have to get bigger and have the ability to play with an edge if necessary because I don't think he has Girard's hands or Spurgeon's defensive awareness.

 

[Kalv]

You should read my posts again. I never suggested he should become a goon. I said he'll have to get bigger and have the ability to play with an edge if necessary because I don't think he has Girard's hands or Spurgeon's defensive awareness.

Perhaps I misunderstood something, yes. But in that sense, of course all of our prospects need to get stronger – that's one of the biggest reasons young players don't play in the NHL.

Anyway, reports from the summer camp was that Zel was involved physically.

 

[Hinterland]

Perhaps I misunderstood something, yes. But in that sense, of course all of our prospects need to get stronger – that's one of the biggest reasons young players don't play in the NHL.

Anyway, reports from the summer camp was that Zel was involved physically.

He needs to get stronger and tougher way more than everybody else...that's probably why he didn't get to play in a preseason game as well. Then again, if he was stronger/tougher he probably wouldn't have been available at 34 so he was always gonna be a project. I agree it's encouraging news and if he turns into a Ballard type of defenseman who, I think, at his peak was a 2nd pairing 30-40 points guy with the ability to play with an edge then he's a fantastic selection for the Ducks.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

He needs to get stronger and tougher way more than everybody else...that's probably why he didn't get to play in a preseason game as well. Then again, if he was stronger/tougher he probably wouldn't have been available at 34 so he was always gonna be a project. I agree it's encouraging news and if he turns into a Ballard type of defenseman who, I think, at his peak was a 2nd pairing 30-40 points guy with the ability to play with an edge then he's a fantastic selection for the Ducks.

Well to be fair he was 1 of the youngest players in the draft, made the cut off by 5 days or something... not sure if a very young d propsect from the most recent draft should see preseason time.

 

[Vinegar Strokes]

I don't think Girard is any good. Too soft, too small and can't defend either. What keeps him in the league is his ability to put up points when given quality ice time like offensive zone starts or PP-time alongside good players. Unfortunately, I don't think Zellweger's hands are nearly as good as Girard's.

Spurgeon is probably a better comparison but he's really good against the puck. Extremely smart player. Good stick and elite positioning. I haven't seen anything like it from Zellweger.

I think the only way for Zellweger to stick in the NHL is to add significant size and become Ballard 2.0. Ballard also was a smallish guy without elite hands but quite some offense. He managed to stick around thanks to his solid play against the puck and his trade mark hip checks. He wasn't a high volume hitter but he was fearless and not afraid of the biggest of the big. That's the way Zellweger has to play. I don't expect him to run over everybody but he has to hit the gym in order to hold his own in battles and play with an edge here and there when necessary.

So to hear he's devoloping some kind of an edge already is very very encouraging after he proved to be highly allergic to contact back at the WJC18.

You don’t think Girard is good? That’s one of the worst opinions I’ve seen in awhile.

Girard is a very very good defenseman and I’m not even talking about his offense. He’s a f***ing cheat code when it comes to zone exits and puck possession. He’s so so good at getting the puck in the D-Zone, escaping pressure, and moving the puck forward.

He’s absolutely not perfect, he’s terrible in front of his net and he can be victimized by the right blend of speed/physicality. Vegas did an exceptional job exposing his weaknesses.

Unreal to call him not very good and say he can’t defend though.

 

[bsu]

A kid that literally just turned 18 year old needs to get stronger?

 

[Trojans86]

I don't think Girard is any good. Too soft, too small and can't defend either. What keeps him in the league is his ability to put up points when given quality ice time like offensive zone starts or PP-time alongside good players. Unfortunately, I don't think Zellweger's hands are nearly as good as Girard's.

Spurgeon is probably a better comparison but he's really good against the puck. Extremely smart player. Good stick and elite positioning. I haven't seen anything like it from Zellweger.

I think the only way for Zellweger to stick in the NHL is to add significant size and become Ballard 2.0. Ballard also was a smallish guy without elite hands but quite some offense. He managed to stick around thanks to his solid play against the puck and his trade mark hip checks. He wasn't a high volume hitter but he was fearless and not afraid of the biggest of the big. That's the way Zellweger has to play. I don't expect him to run over everybody but he has to hit the gym in order to hold his own in battles and play with an edge here and there when necessary.

So to hear he's devoloping some kind of an edge already is very very encouraging after he proved to be highly allergic to contact back at the WJC18.

I’m not a fan of using comparable as some type of ceiling. Every play is so unique and thinks the game very differently. Comparable is at best just a stylistic reference. Zellweger has elite explosiveness, is super young and still in a rapid development phase. He has no ceiling whatsoever. Could be a shutdown 1d. Probably won’t but just saying it is way too early to start throwing ceilings out there on 17 year olds with elite explosiveness.

 

[Sean Garrity]

You don’t think Girard is good? That’s one of the worst opinions I’ve seen in awhile.

Girard is a very very good defenseman and I’m not even talking about his offense. He’s a f***ing cheat code when it comes to zone exits and puck possession. He’s so so good at getting the puck in the D-Zone, escaping pressure, and moving the puck forward.

He’s absolutely not perfect, he’s terrible in front of his net and he can be victimized by the right blend of speed/physicality. Vegas did an exceptional job exposing his weaknesses.

Unreal to call him not very good and say he can’t defend though.

I can understand the argument if we’re speaking strictly about playoff hockey, where he has been semi consistently exposed. However, you have to get to the playoffs first, so at this point that would be a great problem for the Ducks to have.

 

[barriers]

 

[Los Patos de Anaheim]

I’m a big Everett Silvertips fan, and had been hoping for years that the Ducks would hop onto Silvertips prospects. Zellweger is comparable to Josh Mahura imo, very similar style. Great skater and offensive vision, good defensive IQ and works hard on D despite his size

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I’m a big Everett Silvertips fan, and had been hoping for years that the Ducks would hop onto Silvertips prospects. Zellweger is comparable to Josh Mahura imo, very similar style. Great skater and offensive vision, good defensive IQ and works hard on D despite his size

too bad Mahura is inconsistent. I think time is running out for him to be an effective Top-4 guy

 

[barriers]

 

[barriers]

Invited to Canada's Selection Camp Roster for the 2022 World Junior Championship and rides the wave with a monster game last night

 

[Kalv]

Put it in Prospects thread as well, but he is 2nd in the whole WHL for PPG for defensemen

 

[cheesymc]

So awesome he was selected over Clarke. Better yet over a Kings prospect!!!

 

[All Mighty]

 

[bsu]

11 goals 44 assists 55 points 168 SOG +39 in 39 games.

#2 in assists in WHL as a defensemen with ELEVEN (11) less games played than the leader....

WHL Defensemen Scoring Leaders 2021-2022

He is #1 in points as defensemen with 12 less games played than #2.

 

[DavidBL]

11 goals 44 assists 55 points 168 SOG +39 in 39 games.

#2 in assists in WHL as a defensemen with ELEVEN (11) less games played than the leader....

WHL Defensemen Scoring Leaders 2021-2022

He is #1 in points as defensemen with 12 less games played than #2.

How impressive is this? Who are the other stand outs from the WHL and were to they rank?

 

[bsu]

 

[bsu]

This is exactly how he plays in Juniors.

 

[OCSportsfan]

Any idea if his parents or any siblings are considered tall, say over 6ft for men or 5'9" women

just trying to gauge if he could have a growth spurt in the next year or so.

 

[ADHB]

Any idea if his parents or any siblings are considered tall, say over 6ft for men or 5'9" women

just trying to gauge if he could have a growth spurt in the next year or so.

Family looks pretty short, men and women both. His dad might be 6 foot, but his mom is really short.

 

[GunnarStahl]

Family looks pretty short, men and women both. His dad might be 6 foot, but his mom is really short.

his brothers are a bit taller reportedly