MacKenzie Weegar and the Calgary Flames are close.Ā
But close won’t cut it if the newly acquired defenceman remains unsigned heading into the start of the season, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.Ā
āFrom what I understand right now I believe MacKenzie Weegarās goal is to say āwe have this done by the start of the season or we stop talking,ā” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “Even he said at the beginning of training camp that there was reason to believe it was worked out, and I do think the two sides are taking a run at it. One of the things Iāve heard is that his preference is once the puck drops, shelve it.ā
32 Thoughts Monday news and information podcast, plus @alroy42. Links to your preferred platform here: https://t.co/FggZhWa3uf see you in Kitchener tonight https://t.co/o3a0IQlkv5
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 26, 2022
Weegar was acquired this summer alongside Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt, and a conditional first-round pick from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk. Huberdeau signed an eight-year, $84 million extension with the Flames shortly after the trade.Ā
The 28-year-old rearguard set NHL career highs in games (80), goals (8), assists (36), points (44), plus/minus (+40), shots (203), and average ice time (23:22) with the Panthers last season.
The Flames and Weegar have been close to striking a deal — rumoured to be somewhere in the eight-year range with an average annual value of $6.5 million — but both sides have yet to come to full terms.Ā
Calgary’s season starts October 13 at home against the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.Ā
“We’re still trying,” Weegar said last week.Ā “Hopefully it happens soon.”