ORCHARD PARK – In Olen Zellweger, the Buffalo Sabres traded for a defenseman who Jarmo Kekalainen said possesses “a lot of the same qualities” of Bowen Byram.
“Really good skater, speed, puck play, the ability to move up the ice whether to pass or carry the puck out of the zone,” the general manager said Friday at One Bills Drive hours after trading for Zellweger. “We see a lot of potential in him.”
Of course, Zellweger, 22, hasn’t reached Byram’s elite level. The Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday traded the fourth overall pick and other assets to the Sabres in exchange for Byram, who wanted to an opportunity to be a No. 1 defenseman.
“Trading Bo Byram obviously created a hole,” Kekalainen after the Sabres picked twice in the first round of the NHL Draft.
That’s why Kekalainen sent forward prospect Anton Wahlberg and the 45th pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the 5-foot-10, 193-pound Zellweger.
Zellweger compiled seven goals, 22 points, 34 penalty minutes and a plus-4 rating with the Ducks last season, his second full NHL campaign.
He had 162 speed bursts between 20 to 22 mph last season, according to NHL Edge, the league’s fifth-highest total among defensemen.
“We see a lot of potential in him,” Kekalainen said.
The Sabres also added defenseman 6-foot-8, 228-pound Louis Crevier, 25, in the Byram deal. Crevier compiled seven goals, 25 points, 63 penalty minutes and a minus-2 rating in 78 games last season, his first full NHL campaign.
Right now, captain Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Mattias Samuelsson, Conor Timmins, Zach Metsa, Zellweger and Crevier are penciled in as the Sabres’ seven defensemen.
“We have Crevier and (Zellweger) that can compete for a spot to maybe play with Owen Power,” Kekalainen said. “The coach is going to decide that, not me. And then we have Metsa and Timmins there competing for the spots as well. … I think we have at least seven good D right now to start the year.”
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Kekalainen said David Kampf, the veteran forward the Sabres received Wednesday in the trade that sent winger Alex Tuch to Washington, was acquired to absorb a contract for the Capitals.
Kampf, 31, can become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday. Kekalainen said the Sabres don’t plan to sign him.