Training camp is officially underway for the 2024–25 season, and with the Calgary Flames having low expectations this year, there have been little to no storylines going into training camp. Although, one player made waves for all the right reasons earlier this week, and that was MacKenzie Weegar.
We have known for a little bit now that Weegar prefers to stay in Calgary rather than ask out. Well, he doubled down on that, making it very clear that he wants to be a Calgary Flame no matter what.
Committing to the rebuild
It is no secret—whether the Flames themselves will say it or not—that a rebuild has begun in Calgary. Many players have left, and it was well before the rebuild was even something that crossed our minds. It started in 2022 when the late Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk decided they wanted to test the waters. Then, last season, five major pieces of the team in Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov, Chris Tanev, Tyler Toffoli, and Elias Lindholm were all shipped out after deciding they did not want to re-sign in Calgary. This summer, Andrew Mangiapane and Jacob Markstrom were traded. It has been an exodus of the veterans to say the least.
While many have expected players like Weegar and Nazem Kadri to ask out sooner rather than later, the former has been very vocal about staying in Calgary.
I don’t want to go anywhere. I know a lot of people talk about, you know, leaving or whatnot, but I want to build the reputation back up in this city, and you know, make it a championship city again. And you know, they’ve really taken me in here, so I just want to give them back what they’ve given me.
After seeing all the players that have requested out of Calgary and everyone who has left the organization, it is so fresh to see a player who is here now who wants to endure the hard times of a rebuild and stay loyal to the team that committed a lot of time to him. Weegar has become arguably the team’s most lovable player, between his play on the ice and how he has accepted Calgary and the Flames as a whole, it makes me super happy to see him come out say that he wants to be here. That right there is a true leader. It really comes as no surprise that he was the guy to represent the Flames in Vegas at the NHL/NHLPA Player media tour.
The vibes will be immaculate for a long time
I know the expectations for the Flames are low, and it might be a tough next few years as fans waiting for the team to become competitive once again, but I for one am very excited to see what Weegar can bring to the ice this season after his incredible career season a year ago.
A lot of things went right for Weegar on the ice a season ago, and we probably should not expect him to score 20-goals once again, but he plays with his heart on his sleeve every single night and we know he is going to play an honest and complete game. For me, Weegar will be the guy to watch, and I am so happy that he wants to be a Calgary Flame.
