Weegar doesn't have a whole lot of comparables as far as NHL defensemen are concerned, because his path to the NHL was a bit longer than most, as a 7th round draft pick. Another factor was his transition from obscure depth defenseman to bona-fide star NHL talent. Weegar's last two seasons in Florida went a long way in proving just how skilled he is and how determined he is to have success at the highest level.
During the most recent edition of his 32 Thoughts podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman addressed the Weegar negotiations and speculated on what Weegar's next deal might look like.
Weegar is that "all situations" blueliner that a head coach like Darryl Sutter would salivate over. I'd imagine that we're going to see Weegar take on an immediate 2nd pairing role with heavy PK usage and likely some secondary PP usage as well.
Weegar broke out in 2020-21, posting 36 points in 54 games and following that up with his first 40-point season, notching 8 goals and 36 assists for 44 points in 80 games last season. If the Flames can get him in at $6.5M, he'll be worth every penny considering the number of ways in which he can help the team.
POLL | ||
17 SEPTEMBRE | 98 ANSWERS Insider reveals what MacKenzie Weegar's extension might look like in Calgary once finalized What would you think of Weegar's deal if it ends up in the $6.5M range? | ||
Depends on the term | 21 | 21.4 % |
That's the perfect AAV | 26 | 26.5 % |
Too much money | 36 | 36.7 % |
AAV should be higher | 15 | 15.3 % |
List of polls |