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The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. They finally broke a 14-season playoff drought in 2026. Now, they want to build sustained success on the ice. The Sabres certainly believe Olen Zellweger can be a big part of this puzzle.
Buffalo swung a trade with the Anaheim Ducks in the summer to acquire Zellweger. He showed some promise with the Ducks, but Anaheim elected to move on. Early on in his Sabres tenure, he has more than impressed his new team.
“Really think his game is coming these last three, four games,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told reporters recently, via Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat. “Moving really well, getting the pucks, making a lot of good plays. Really what we envisioned (what) we thought he could be.”
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Zellweger stepped up on the top pairing with Rasmus Dahlin injured on Monday. And he was a dominant force on the ice. He made incredible defensive plays when the team needed it. He scored two goals at the other end of the ice. Zellweger also ate major minutes, playing nearly 26 minutes in that loss to the Canadiens.
He has done everything the Sabres have asked of him and more. The coaching staff has noticed, and his teammates are also aware of the effort he is putting in on the ice.
“He’s one of the more elite skaters in the league,” Sabres winger Josh Doan said. “His edge work is phenomenal. He’s a hard player to chase around the ice. … When he gets moving, he’s tough to play against.”
Zellweger could be playing his way into a larger role even when Dahlin returns. The early return on investment for this trade is working quite well for Buffalo. He has another chance to continue this high level of play on Thursday night when Buffalo takes on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Related: Sabres acquire 2 defensemen from Pittsburgh for Ryan Johnson