Even though the 2026 NHL entry draft just concluded, the Anaheim Ducks will look markedly different come next season. After being in the midst of trade rumors for seemingly months, both Olen Zellweger and Mason McTavish will no longer be donning the mighty orange and black for Anaheim. The pair were supposed to be part of the new core for the Ducks, but for a multitude of reasons, both Zellweger and McTavish will be chasing down a Stanley Cup with their new teams. On the Anaheim side of the equation though, we can look at what went wrong, what kind of value the team recouped, and how these trades will impact the Ducks' future.
Olen Zellweger
The trade
Just hours before the opening night of the 2026 NHL draft, Ducks fans were hit with the news that Zellweger had been traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Anton Wahlberg and the 45th pick (2nd round).
What went wrong
A logjam on the left side. Jackson LaCombe is the number one defenseman for the Ducks and plays in all situations. After indicating he would open to trade at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, Pavel Mintyukov rebounded and solidified his position on the second pair. Tyosn Hinds was called up from the San Diego Gulls towards the end of the regular season and played in a majority of the Ducks' 2026 playoff games. As such, Zellweger saw a drop off in his on-ice deployment, averaging 18:58 in 2024-25 to 16:59 last season.
In 76 regular season games, Zellweger notched 22 points (7 goals, 15 assists). However, Zellweger had the second most powerplay time of Ducks defenders yet only managed to register 3 points, while on the ice for the man advantage. Zellweger is adept at joining the rush and generating scoring chances for his teammates, but he still lacks the ability to adequately shut down the opposition. Zellweger is also small of stature and never quite felt like the kind of defenseman GM Pat Verbeek wanted and consequently, only appeared in 3 playoff games for the Ducks.
Value added
The Ducks used the second-round pick on Jayden Kurtz, a right-handed defenseman that is described as mobile and puck moving with good offensive tools, according to Elite Prospects. Anton Wahlberg, the prospect sent to the Ducks in the trade, had 37 points (9 goals, 28 assists) in 68 games for the Rochester Americans of the AHL, last season. Wahlberg has already been penciled in for the San Diego Gulls and in the best-case scenario, may be able to crack the Ducks lineup as a fourth line player.
Future impact
At the very least, the Zellweger trade allows the Ducks some more flexibility on the left side. Other than the aforementioned Hinds, the Ducks also have prospect Stian Solberg, who was drafted 23rd in 2024 and should be making a push for a roster spot in training camp. The Zellweger trade also gives the Ducks more cap room to sign their own RFAs this summer, two of which could be quite costly, but worth it.
Mason McTavish
The trade
In the middle of the opening round, Verbeek dropped this bombshell of a trade on the hockey world, sending the maligned center and former third overall pick to the St. Louis Blues for the 15th and 29th picks.
What went wrong
After signing an extension last offseason, McTavish was pegged as the future number two center for the Ducks and his early offensive production suggested as much. McTavish has always had a lethal one-timer, especially on the powerplay and has been an ace in the shootout. But the main criticisms of McTavish's game still remained; slow foot speed and poor defensive play. Ducks head coach Joel Queenville leaned into the Ducks' ability to attack off the rush, a style that did not play to McTavish's strengths and as such, McTavish went from centering the second line, to being a third line or fourth line winger, and even a healthy scratch.
Value added
Despite the immediate need of forward help on the NHL roster, the Ducks added two wingers to their prospect pool instead. Nikita Klepov was selected with the 15th pick and the Ducks flipped spots with the Vegas Golden Knights by adding the 117th pick, and promptly selected Marcus Nordmark at 28. Outside of center, the Ducks have been quite poor at drafting and developing premium goal scoring talent on the wing, so hopefully at least one of these two draft selections pans out.
Future impact
The Ducks are still set at center in the immediate future with Leo Carlsson, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, and Tim Washe down the middle. With last year's 10th overall pick, Roger McQueen, awaiting his eventual callup, the Ducks should be able to head into next season with roughly the same group. However, with Ducks now clear of McTavish's contract, Verbeek should be targeting another center to add even more punch to the forward group.
Closing thoughts
Seeing both Zellweger and McTavish depart on the same day was bittersweet. The pair were supposed to be a major part of the Ducks' renaissance to contention. When viewed independently, the trades of Zellweger and McTavish had adequate return value. When combined though, it feels like Verbeek missed on an opportunity to secure a more impactful return. But with free agency right around the corner, maybe Verbeek has another trade up his sleeve.
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