The vibes were immaculate as MacKenzie Weegar was honoured Sunday afternoon by his junior A team, the Nepean Raiders.
Weegar was present at the ceremony as the Flames travelled to Ottawa for tonight’s upcoming game against the Senators on this week’s edition of Prime Monday Night Hockey.
During his time with the Raiders, he wore #4, but the team has retired his current jersey number, #52, a jersey number he chose because of his cousin Craig Rivet, who played in 18 NHL seasons.
During the 2011–12 campaign, Weegar played in 53 games with the Raiders scoring 13 goals and providing 37 assists, along with adding two goals and four assists in the playoffs helping the Raiders win the Central Canada Junior Hockey League Championship.
Although he spent only one season with the Raiders, it was an impressive one as Weegar was named the Rookie of the Year in the CCHL for his outstanding performance.
Following that season he worked his way up to the Halifax Mooseheads, winning the QMJHL Championship and Memorial Cup alongside future NHL players Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin.
After winning back-to-back championships in two different leagues, he was drafted 206th overall by the Florida Panthers.
Weegar’s time as a Flame
The product of Ottawa spent six seasons as a Panther before being traded to the Calgary Flames in 2022.
In his third season with the Flames, Weegar is nearing his 500th career NHL game, a milestone he can achieve in the next 10 games.
Last season, Weegar had a career-high 20 goals and 52 points, and so far this season, he has contributed three goals and nine assists.
His 12 points have him second in the team lead, just behind fellow defencemen Rasmus Anderson.
Weegar has also been discussed as a candidate for a possible spot on Team Canada for the upcoming 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Calgary and the Centennial Cup
Speaking about Junior A, this level of hockey is alive and well in Calgary, as the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL are off to a great start to the season, leading the South Division with a 14–7–2 record.
After winning the league title last season, the Canucks are aiming to defend their championship and have been selected to host the 2025 Centennial Cup.
The Canucks previously won the national championship in 1995 and this will mark the first time Calgary has hosted the Centennial Cup.
Photo from @nepeanraidersjra on Instagram.
