Calgary Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar isn’t getting nearly enough recognition this season. The 30-year-old is having a career season, as he already has a career-high 15 goals. That total is not only fourth amongst his teammates, but leads all NHL defencemen. He also has 32 points, which is just 12 shy of his career-high of 44 set in 2021-22. With 29 games remaining on the season, there is a great chance he tops that.
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After a slow start to his Flames tenure after being acquired in the 2022 offseason, Weegar has quietly become the Flames’ most reliable defenceman. While prone to some defensive miscues from time to time, he logs huge minutes, plays in all situations, and has been a tremendous leader for the past season and a half.
Norris Finalist a Possibility if Flames Make Playoffs
As is the case with most individual awards, team success is often dependent on the player winning them. For example, it is unheard of for a player to win the Hart Trophy if his team doesn’t make the postseason. It isn’t quite as drastic for the Norris Trophy, as evidenced by Erik Karlsson taking home the award while playing for the San Jose Sharks last season, though those were much different circumstances, as he was also the first defenceman to hit 100 points in over 30 years.
Now, if we are all being realistic, Weegar’s chances of winning the Norris are slim to none. Quinn Hughes, who happens to be a part of the NHL’s current first-place team in the Vancouver Canucks, is the runaway favourite at this time, and barring an injury or serious struggles in the final few months of the season, is likely to win it.
After Hughes, however, it is quite wide open. Cale Makar is an obvious candidate, as the Colorado Avalanche defenceman is having another terrific season. Noah Dobson of the New York Islanders has also been terrific, though he is by no means a lock to end as a finalist, nor is his team anywhere near a lock when it comes to making the playoffs.
Other potential candidates include names such as Evan Bouchard, Victor Hedman, Charlie McAvoy, and Roman Josi, though they are all truly up in the air to finish the season as a finalist. Though he isn’t being discussed nearly as often as those players mentioned, Weegar deserves to be in the running with them.
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As mentioned, Weegar plays in all situations for the Flames, and is averaging north of 22 minutes in ice time. He is averaging 1:40 on the power play, and 1:56 on the penalty kill. Despite his opportunities on the man advantage, 14 of his 15 goals have come at even strength, proving just how good he has been in that regard for the Flames.
Flames in Serious Trouble if Not for Weegar
Also important to note when it comes to Weegar’s chances at a Norris is just how valuable he is to the Flames. Of all the players mentioned above including Hughes and Makar, only Dobson and Josi are like Weegar in that it can be said their respective teams would be much lower in the standings without their contributions. That isn’t to take away anything from the others, who have all been exceptional, though it is fair to suggest their teams would still be having plenty of success regardless of their play.
Aside from Jacob Markstrom, who has been brilliant, Weegar has been the Flames’ best player this season. Head coach Ryan Huska is extremely confident in using him, and has every right to be, as everyone knows what he is going to bring on a nightly basis. That consistency has been huge for the Flames, who remain in the mix for a playoff spot despite many thinking they’d struggle this season.
While even finishing as a top-three finalist may be a stretch, there is no doubt that Weegar deserves more Norris chatter than he is getting. He is on pace for 23 goals this season, which would have ranked second to only Karlsson’s 25 last season. If he can finish the 2023-24 campaign strong, he is at the very least deserving of appearing on some ballots.