NHL Draft 2021: Q&A With Olen Zellweger
Jul 24, 2021Below is a transcript of Olen's media availability, edited lightly for clarity:
On his reaction to hearing his name called:
Pure excitement. It was really nice to have some of my family here, obviously my dog is there, so it was awesome. Just super excited. I really can’t even explain it, it was just awesome. I’ll never forget it.
On his style of play:
I think I’m really mobile. I’m a good skater. I think I bring a lot of offense to the table. Along with that, I play responsibly, play responsible defense. I think that’s where my value is, a two-way offensive, defenseman.
On his work ethic:
I definitely have a lot of pride in how I approach the game, and how I practice and train. So, that is definitely something that I do bring as well.
On his relationship with current Ducks players:
Bryce Kindopp was on my team two years ago. I know Brandon Guhle from the gym I train at. I know of a few other younger players; those are just two guys that I know personally.
On talking with Ducks hockey ops:
I had a few calls with them, so I kind of had a good feeling about them. I thought my calls went well, so that was a good sign. I was just waiting for my name to be called, and I was really excited for it to be the Ducks.
On playing for Mike Stothers at the U-18 Worlds:
Mike was the defensive coach on our team, so that was a really good thing for me. I had a pretty good relationship with Mike, and really liked his coaching style. He was intense and held us accountable back there, so that’s definitely something I like and something I’m looking forward to.