Weegar and Flames agree to 8-year, $50M deal
The Calgary Flames have signed MacKenzie Weegar to a sizable contract extension that's expected to keep him wearing red and white for years to come.
Weegar, who was acquired in the off-season from the Florida Panthers, agreed to an eight-year, $50-million extension; an average annual salary of $6.25 million.
The defenceman tallied eight goals and 36 assists in 80 games with the Panthers in 2021-22, his sixth season with the team.
He says he agreed to extend his contract because he believes in the team.
"You know they want to win and we have a winning team, a winning coach and a winning culture in here and that was another important step to sign here," he said Friday.
Flames head coach Darryl Sutter says he's been impressed by Weegar's performance.
"He's a good player. He plays both sides. He's got a zest for the game," he said. "He's coachable, he's the right age group (and) he's got a lot going for him."
Meanwhile, Weegar says he is looking forward to playing in Calgary and a long career in the NHL.
"It's been such a long road that I don't really care where I am in the league, you know this is the NHL and I want to play in this league for as long as I can," he said.
"I couldn't be more thankful and blessed that I could play in this league for eight more years."
The 28-year-old Ottawa native was traded to Calgary alongside Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt and a conditional 2025 pick in the off-season as part of the deal that sent Matthew Tkachuk stateside.
In August, the Flames signed Huberdeau to an eight-year extension worth $84 million.
(With files from Glenn Campbell)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.