Insider: Mackenzie Weegar Unlikely To Waive NTC for Hometown Team
MacKenzie Weegar no-trade clause keeps Flames in control
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the interest has picked up over the last week or two, with the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings among the clubs poking around.
Weegar has a full no-trade clause, and Calgary has not approached him about waiving it yet. If that conversation happens before March 6, the line in the sand sounds clear.
Nick Kypreos: Re Mackenzie Weegar: I don't think that Calgary's shopping him, I don't think that's...where their focus is on, but if teams like Ottawa are calling...you gotta listen - Real Kyper & Bourne (2/24)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) February 26, 2026
Weegar is comfortable in Calgary, he likes the room, and if the destination is not a real Stanley Cup contender, the appetite to move is not exactly strong at this point in his career, Pagnotta writes.
After this season, the 32-year-old has five more years left on his contract, carrying an AAV of $6.25M. He signed an 8-year, $50M deal with Calgary in 2022, and he'll be 38 once it's done.
Ottawa Senators interest is real, but Weegar may say no
In a very surprising update, Pagnotta adds that the Senators have appeared most interested in Weegar, but suggests Ottawa is not a spot the veteran rearguard is willing to accept a move to given where they sit in the standings, despite it being his hometown.
The Senators currently sit seven points back of the Boston Bruins for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 24 games to play.
"The Senators have appeared most interested in Weegar, but given their position in the standings, sources suggest that’s not a spot the veteran rearguard is willing to accept a move to, even if it is in his backyard."
That puts Ottawa in a weird spot, because the fit looks so good on paper.
Weegar is a right shot who can handle heavy minutes, he’s on an eight-year, $50 million deal with a $6.25 million cap hit, and he’s produced 35 goals, 151 points, a +4 plus/minus rating, 643 blocked shots, and 731 hits across his four seasons in Calgary.
Nick Kypreos: The Flames may not have planned on trading Mackenzie Weegar this season, but with the position they're in and the calls they'll get, they will have to consider it - Sportsnet (2/24)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) February 27, 2026
But until Calgary actually asks for a waiver and Weegar chooses his list, Pagnotta thinks teams like the Dallas Stars or Tampa Bay Lightning feel like the more logical “yes” paths if they want to pay the price for a top-four, all-situations defender.
Weegar was a seventh-round pick (206th overall) by the Florida Panthers in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
He's recorded a total of 62 goals, 272 points, and a +81 plus/minus rating over 607 games played and 10 seasons.
Photo Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
