Weegar has "genuine desire" to sign contract extension with Flames: report

Defenceman MacKenzie Weegar could be set to stick around with the Calgary Flames for the long-term, after all.

According to TSN’s Salim Valji, Weegar has a “strong, genuine desire” to re-sign with the Flames.

A source says Mackenzie Weegar has a “strong, genuine desire” to re-sign in Calgary…I believe both parties will engage next week in conversations about an extension for the Flames defenceman

— Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) August 5, 2022

“I believe both parties will engage next week in conversations about an extension for the Flames defenceman,” Valji added.

Since being taken in seventh round of the 2013 Entry Draft by Florida, Weegar has played six seasons for the Panthers, where he’s emerged as a top-pairing defenceman.

He has 27 goals, 94 assists and a plus-minus of +78 in 306 games, and has one year left on his contract at a cap hit of $3.25 million.

If he does sign, Weegar would be following in the footsteps of fellow trade piece Jonathan Huberdeau, who inked an eight-year, $84 million deal on Thursday. The two were acquired as part of a package for Matthew Tkachuk in a blockbuster deal earlier this summer.

“You want to play for a team that wants you,” Huberdeau told reporters via Zoom on Friday. “Talking to all the management, they seem really excited and I made up my mind I want to play there. I want to play in Calgary. And we got it done. I’m really excited.”

“Hopefully he signs too,” Huberdeau added about Weegar.

Forward Andrew Mangiapane also signed with Calgary earlier this week on a three-year, $17.4 million deal.

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