Sabres sign Zellweger to 3-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres signed defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.1 million, the team announced Wednesday. 

Zellweger, acquired from the Anaheim Ducks last week, was set to become a restricted free agent Wednesday afternoon after receiving a qualifying offer from the Sabres. 

The 22-year-old, left-shot blueliner played a career-high 76 games with Anaheim last season and had 22 points (7+15). He was a second-round draft pick by the Ducks in 2021 and already has three NHL seasons under his belt, including his first taste of playoff action this past spring.

Some more facts on Zellweger, who’s now signed in Buffalo through the 2028-29 season: 

• He ranks as one of the NHL’s fastest defensemen, according to NHL Edge. He clocked 162 speed bursts between 20 and 22 mph, which ranked fifth in the league behind four of the NHL’s elite: Matthew Schaefer, Cale Makar, Jake Sanderson and Quinn Hughes. He also had the sixth-most speed bursts over 22 mph. 

• The Ducks owned a 53.3-percent share of shot attempts when Zellweger was on the ice at 5-on-5, tied for the best mark among the team’s regular defensemen. 

• He displayed a knack for carrying the puck and getting it to his scorers. He averaged 14.92 puck carries leading to shots per 60 minutes, the 18th-best mark among NHL defensemen (according to Stathletes).