What’s ironic is that he’s no longer a member of a Canadian team.
This week, MacKenzie Weegar, a defenseman for the Utah Mammoth, appeared on TSN’s “Overdrive” and expressed his true sadness over the talent migration that is occurring north of the border. The Ontario native, who played four seasons with the Calgary Flames before being traded to Utah in a deadline move last March, stated that his time in Canada was nothing short of great.
“I had a fantastic experience in Canada as a Canadian-born player playing in Calgary,” Weegar remarked. “It was a complete joy to perform in Calgary.” He then characterized the circumstance as “a little unfortunate,” highlighting the intensity of Canadian hockey fans and how deeply those cities care about their star players.
An Increasing Number of Departures
The backdrop of Weegar’s remarks is a worrying trend among Canadian clubs. The number of well-known people who have either been compelled to leave or have expressed their intention to do so has increased dramatically.
It could be said that it all began in Calgary when Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agency, which prompted Matthew Tkachuk to ask for a trade to the Florida Panthers. Of course, Tkachuk went on to win two straight Stanley Cups with Florida in 2024 and 2025, which just added insult to injury for Flames supporters.
Vancouver Canucks supporters have just seen their captain and star defenseman, Quinn Hughes, traded to the Minnesota Wild after he told the club he had no intention of re-signing. Brady Tkachuk adopted his brother’s strategy in Ottawa by indicating he would not commit long-term to the Senators, a team he had led for five seasons, and being traded to Florida in July. And last month, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck announced his trade demand.
It’s interesting to note that all five of those athletes are American. Dylan Larkin, captain of the Detroit Red Wings, is another American who has asked for a trade this offseason, despite staying with the club for the time being.
Weegar’s Point of View
What makes Weegar’s approach especially fascinating is his own experience. He didn’t decide to leave Calgary. He is speaking from the perspective of someone who had a truly great time in a Canadian market but ended up in an American expansion city through no choice of his own since the Flames, who were rebuilding, transferred him to Utah as part of their retool.
Weegar admitted that teams like Utah can offer certain lifestyle advantages that Canadian cities may not be able to match, but he was quick to add that at the end of the day, playing in the NHL should be what matters most regardless of location. “I believe we are all hockey players, regardless of where we play,” he stated. “All you want is to play in the NHL.”
Nonetheless, the pattern doesn’t seem to be slowing. When it comes to keeping their most well-known players, Canadian teams are still up against a difficult fight, and with the league growing into non-traditional markets like Salt Lake City, the struggle for player loyalty will only get more intense. One of the most important issues leading into the 2026–27 season is whether front offices in Canada can find ways to turn the tide.
