NHL
2026 NHL
Trade Deadline
LIVE
23m ago
MacKenzie Weegar is headed to the Utah Mammoth. Brett Holmes / Getty Images
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
Mammoth get: Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar
Flames get: Defenseman Olli Määttä, prospect Jonathan Castagna and three 2026 second-round picks
Shayna Goldman: Weegar’s play has taken a step back this year in Calgary. Age-related decline may be a factor, but his surroundings may be the issue above all else. In recent years, players like Hampus Lindholm and Seth Jones have shown just how much playing on a poor team can weigh a player down, and how much a move to a contender can revitalize their game. That potential is absolutely here.
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At his core, Weegar can be an all-situations defenseman who impacts play on both ends of the ice. At his best, he can chip into scoring and help facilitate his teammates’ offense while playing steady defense in his own zone. And he can suppress scoring chances, close passing lanes and win puck battles. Weegar is generally a workhorse when it comes to retrieving pucks and breaking them out, but he has made more mistakes and turned the puck over in the process over the last couple of seasons.
With more support in Utah, on a blue line that does a good job of breaking out the puck, according to AllThreeZones’ tracking, he should limit some risk in his game. The Mammoth’s speed and dynamic skill are completely different from the Flames’, so Weegar’s game should be more complementary here.
Right-handed defensemen don’t come cheap, and with Weegar comes another five seasons at a $6.25 million cap. It’s a commitment, but it’s an upgrade on Määttä, who has another two years on his deal. And Utah didn’t have to give up a top prospect or a first-rounder to make this deal happen. This is really solid asset management for a team that could afford to part with three second-round picks, considering how deep its draft pick and prospect pool is.
It feels like a real “welcome to the playoff circle” moment for the Mammoth. Sure, this team still has to hold its playoff standing for another 21 games. But this franchise is finally swinging big and buying. And this is the kind of move that can really help solidify Utah’s backend, and help this team hang on to that top wild-card seed (which would send them through the Pacific Division).
A first or stronger prospect would have moved the needle more for the rebuilding Flames. But three picks are nothing to shrug at either, especially with the Rangers’ first (which will likely have to be equivalent to a late first) being included here. As coveted as right-handed defensemen are this time of year, a 32-year-old in the midst of a down year with another five years on his deal could be a tough sell. This was a contract that had to be moved to fully commit to this process, and waiting any longer could have hurt the Flames’ leverage if his game slipped any further.
Mammoth grade: A-
Flames grade: B+
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James Mirtle: When I was pulling together a top 10 buyers list last week, Chris Johnston stumped for the Mammoth to be on the list, explaining that they could make two high-impact additions — one up front and one on D. Weegar certainly qualifies for the latter, as the 32-year-old is one of the bigger minute-eaters in the league.
If there’s risk here, it’s twofold. Weegar has had a tough season, with his impact in basically every situation falling off during what’s been a miserable year all around in Calgary. Is that simply situational? Or could it be age-related decline?
The other thing worth pointing out is that his deal has five more years to go at a $6.25 million cap hit, meaning he’ll be paid top-four money into his age-37 season. That term definitely scared off some other teams.
That said, I still like this bet by Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong. If Weegar can regain his form from last season, he brings a sizable defensive upgrade that Utah needed to compete with the Central Division’s Big Three in a playoff series. His presence will allow the Mammoth to ease off minutes from Nate Schmidt and John Marino and give Mikhail Sergachev more support. Weegar’s cap hit is an easy fit, too, given Määttä was eating up $3.5 million in space and barely playing.
For Calgary, the three second-round picks may not sound as sexy as getting a first-rounder, but one of the seconds is actually the Rangers’ selection, which means it’ll be right at the top of the second round, given how awful New York has been this year. Throw in Castagna, a 2023 third-rounder who leads Cornell in scoring as a 20-year-old, as well as the ability to rehabilitate Määttä (and potentially trade him down the line), and the Flames pulled decent value out of this with the five assets.
This deal is a great example of a trade made between two teams heading in opposite directions, but also one that should pay off on both sides — right away for Utah and down the line for Calgary.
Mammoth grade: B+
Flames grade: A-
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