MacKenzie Weegar

Lore & Background

Weegar played major junior hockey with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before being drafted by the Panthers. After signing a three-year entry-level deal in 2014, he spent time in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage and later the Portland Pirates, as well as a stint in the ECHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones. He scored his first professional goal in a 3–0 win over the Iowa Wild on December 12, 2014.

In the 2016–17 season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, Weegar led all team defensemen with 14 goals and 22 assists for 36 points through 60 games, earning a call-up to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on April 3, 2017, in a 4–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. After being left unprotected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft and going unselected, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Panthers.

Weegar spent the entire 2017–18 season at the NHL level, scoring his first career NHL goal on October 20 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He worked with former NHL defenceman Chris Pronger to improve his defensive game and earned praise from coach Bob Boughner. Over subsequent seasons, he set new career highs in goals, assists, and games played, and formed a top pairing with Aaron Ekblad under head coach Joel Quenneville.

Reader's Guide

Weegar's significance lies in his development from a late-round draft pick (206th overall) into a reliable NHL defenseman for the Florida Panthers. His journey through the AHL and ECHL, including being the first Springfield Thunderbird to participate in the AHL All-Star Game, highlights his steady progression. He became a key part of the Panthers' defense, particularly when paired with Aaron Ekblad on the top unit under Joel Quenneville, where they combined for strong possession numbers and offensive production.

His legacy with the Panthers includes setting career highs in goals, assists, and games played during the 2018–19 season, and later achieving new career highs with seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points in the 2019–20 season. Weegar made his NHL postseason debut on August 1, 2020, during the Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the New York Islanders, tallying an assist. After the Panthers' playoff elimination, he signed a three-year contract extension to remain with the team. He was later included in a blockbuster trade on July 22, 2022, that sent him to the Calgary Flames as part of a deal involving Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt, and a conditional 2025 first-round selection.