CALGARY — Those who thought MacKenzie Weegar would duck the question clearly haven’t seen him play.
As he does when blocking a shot or finishing a prone winger, the rugged defenceman met it head on.
“I think I’ll put it this way, ” he said as the dressing room emptied for a quiet one-on-one chat.
“I think everything’s got to be put into consideration at some point. Will I? I don’t know, but obviously it’s the first time I’ve ever been in a situation with a lot of rumors around me. So, it’s new, it’s different.”
It’s uncomfortable, but it’s the reality punctuating another lost season in Calgary where the rebuild hasn’t progressed anywhere near as quickly as anyone hoped.
And so, as roughly one third of the Flames roster is being bandied about by insiders and observers as potential trade targets ahead of Friday’s deadline, it’s only natural to ask the 32-year-old if he has, or would, reevaluate his trade protection.
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“It’s not something that I wanted to be a part of,” he said of the speculation, and likely the losing.
“When I first came here, obviously I wanted to be a part of a winning team. Obviously times change. It’s been four years since then. But I love it, so I always want to elaborate on that part, because I do love it here. If something did occur, and Connie came up to me and asked, it would be a tough decision, for sure.”
That’s not a trade request. Not even close.
But it is the first time the Ottawa native has publicly acknowledged that, under the right circumstances, he’d listen.
And that alone is significant, given what a pillar he’s long considered to be in Calgary.
“Just like they’ve got to consider trading me, I’ve got to consider all the options too,” he said.
“But I love it here. I want to win here. And it’s just, it’s too bad that we’re all put into situations like this. But it’s part of the game. I kind of just want to focus on how we all have got to find a way to play together, even with all the rumors and stuff. It’s a weird time, for sure.”
Weegar has been everything the Flames hoped for when they acquired him: durable, competitive, productive, and proudly invested in Calgary. He’s known for helping push for the new arena, who embraced the city, who signed long‑term because he believed in the direction of the franchise after being traded here in the Matthew Tkachuk deal.
He’s also the guy many view as a future captain.
But he didn’t sign up for this. Not for four straight years without playoff hockey. Not for another season that started drifting toward irrelevance one month in. Not for a roster stuck between retooling and rebuilding while the rest of the Western Conference speeds past.
So when he says he has to consider all possibilities, it’s not disloyalty.
Weegar’s eight‑year, $50‑million deal still has five more seasons after this one. His full no‑trade clause runs through next year, before shifting to a 10‑team no-trade list in the final four seasons.
That’s a lot of term. A lot of money. And a lot of control.
Other than the possibility another team is willing to make an over-the-top offer for a leader whose character is impeccable, there’s no impetus or rush for the Flames to trade Weegar. In an organization that prioritizes culture and leadership as it gets younger and younger, he would seem invaluable moving forward.
Someone’s got to show the team emerging defensive prospects the ropes.
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Given how much of a struggle this season has been for Weegar on the ice, it’s hard to fathom an enticing offer coming in over the next 48 hours, given the former 20-goal scorer’s stock is somewhat diminished.
Him leaving town anytime soon is a longshot at best.
Still, his willingness to consider waiving matters. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it opens a door that, until now, was bolted shut.
Has he been given any indication the Flames might ask?
“My agent’s been pretty quiet. Connie (GM Craig Conroy) and I have just spoken like we’re friends. He hasn’t come up to me with anything. Nothing yet.”
That “yet” hangs in the air.
Weegar insists he’s handling the speculation fine.
“Probably more distracting for my wife, not for me,” he said.
There are those in the game who argue that if a player negotiates a no‑trade clause, management should never ask him to waive it. This is all so fresh that Weegar is still unsure where he stands on that debate, especially after watching how quickly the relationship deteriorated between management and Jacob Markstrom when a similar idea was floated by the goalie late in 2024.
“I guess it was tough because Marky had that situation here, so that one maybe kind of spiraled the wrong way,” he said.
“So maybe they kind of think it’s the wrong thing to do. But I think Connie’s got so much respect for the players, and he’s got a great way of talking to us if something happens. But I don’t know about that theory. I’ve never really thought about it. I wouldn’t take it personally. I think they’re just trying to do their job as well.”
Again, this is not a player looking to leave. It’s a player who is being realistic and honest, so if the Flames decide the best path forward involves moving him, he won’t slam the door. He’ll listen. He’ll weigh it. He’ll wrestle with it.
And if they don’t? He’ll keep doing what he’s always done: show up, compete, and represent Calgary with pride.
