Speaking of denials, there’s a ton on this next subject.
I have strong reason to believe the Flames have considered moving defenceman Mackenzie Weegar. They’ve denied it, and it doesn’t sound like a trade is presently imminent. But multiple well-placed league sources have not only heard Weegar’s name floating around but have informed me the Ottawa Senators are a team that has expressed interest in acquiring him.
The Senators have been in the market for a top-four, right-shot defenceman, and Weegar checks a lot of boxes for them.
Weegar, 29, is from the Ottawa region and would surely welcome the opportunity to play in front of family and friends. His eight-year, $50 million contract extension kicks in July 1 and comes with a full no-trade clause for the first four years of that deal. My understanding is the Senators would be comfortable taking on that contract – especially if they can move out Nikita Zaitsev and his $4.5 million salary cap hit.
Senators GM Pierre Dorion is actively trying to move Zaitsev and as
I reported on Friday, he seems willing to add a sweetener in the form of a second-round draft pick to the deal to convince a team to take on that contract. Might it cost more? The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks are three potential landing spots, but all three have blueliners they’d have to first move.
Shipping out Weegar, however, would mean the Flames have at least one more significant trade in the works. Would it strictly result in a replacement on the D corps, or is it a combination of that and adding more firepower up front?
This kind of sequence of events would be earthshattering. Treliving shook things up in the summer, so what’s stopping him from wanting to do it again now?
There are plenty of moving parts here, and I’m sure seeing Weegar alongside Thomas Chabot would be a dream pairing for Dorion and the Senators. But Treliving and the Flames need to weigh all their options before exploring this one.
Playing more consistent winning hockey would help management with their evaluation process. Easier said than done, Captain Obvious. But if things don’t improve on the ice, we could see some impactful changes off it.
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