MacKenzie Weegar believes the Calgary Flames are better than the Florida Panthers, who traded the defenseman as part of the deal Matthew Tkachuk on July 22.
Florida won the Presidents’ Trophy last season, which is awarded to the team with the best record in the regular season (58-18-6).
“It’s going to be really exciting,” Weegar said at the 2022 Flames Charity Golf Classic on Wednesday. “Obviously, coming from Florida on a good team and then coming here now, I’d say we’re a better team than Florida is. It’s going to be really exciting. I think a lot of people have come up to me in the city, a lot of fans and stuff that they’re really excited for this season and [Jonathan Huberdeau] and I and [Nazem Kadri] and a couple of new faces here. It’s going to be a good season, and I’m excited just as much as they are.”
The Flames won the Pacific Division last season (50-21-11) but were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in five games in the Western Conference Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They then lost their top scorer, forward Johnny Gaudreau (115 points; 40 goals, 75 assists), who signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent on July 13.
Nine days later, the Flames traded Tkachuk, who was second on the team with 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) last season, to the Panthers after the forward told them he did not want to sign a long-term contract with them. But in return for Tkachuk, Calgary received Weegar, who set NHL career highs in goals (eight), assists (36) and points (44) in 80 games last season, and Huberdeau, who tied Gaudreau for second in the League with an NHL career-high 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists) and signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension ($10.5 million AAV) on Aug. 4.
“I think we have a great team,” Huberdeau said. “You look at us [defenseman] core, is just great. We have a big team, a great goalie, two goalies actually (Jacob Markstrom, Dan Vladar). The forwards too, we added ‘Naz,’ too. I think we have a great top six. … I’m excited to see what we’re going to do, but I think this year we can believe and go get a Stanley Cup right away.”
The Flames continued their busy offseason Aug. 18, when they signed Kadri to a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million average annual value).
The forward set NHL career highs in assists (59), points (87) and power-play points (29) in 71 regular-season games last season. He then had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 16 playoff games, playing through a thumb injury to help the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2001.
“It’s been great,” Kadri said. “[Coach Darryl Sutter and I have] spoke several times, and I can just tell by his attitude he’s got a winning mentality, and I think that’s what winning’s all about is your mentality and how you think the game and how you process it. So, it’s been positive. I think he’s going to enjoy me as a player, and I’m sure I’m going to enjoy him as a coach as well.”
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