The Calgary Flames signed one more a single of their newcomers to a enormous extension. The Flames and MacKenzie Weegar
agreed to an 8-12 months extension worthy of $50M ($6.25M common yearly benefit). Weegar was scheduled for unrestricted cost-free agency soon after the approaching year. Frank Seravalli of Every day Faceoff adds that it has a total no-trade clause for the very first four many years of the offer and a partial no-trade for the remaining 4. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has the entire breakdown:
- 2023-24: $4.25M salary + $2.0M signing bonus
- 2024-25: $4.25M wage + $2.0M signing reward
- 2025-26: $4.25M income + $2.0M signing bonus
- 2026-27: $4.25M income + $2.0M signing reward
- 2027-28: $6.25M wage
- 2028-29: $6.25M income
- 2029-30: $6.25M income
- 2030-31: $6.25M salary
Obtained alongside with Jonathan Huberdeau, Cole Schwindt and a initial-spherical select this summer season in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk (and a fourth-rounder), Weegar instantly publicized his need to stay in Calgary lengthy term. It makes feeling that a player who has climbed from remaining a seventh-round afterthought to a initially-pairing star would be hunting for some stability, and the Flames are joyful to oblige.
Continue to, provided that Weegar will convert 29 this season, an eight-12 months extension is a rather dangerous determination. He’ll be 37 by the time the deal ends, not particularly in the regular primary of an NHL defenseman.
There is a actual likelihood for surplus worth in the 1st few many years provided how nicely Weegar has performed the past couple of seasons, but even then he’ll previously be getting paid like a top-pairing solution. A $6.25M cap hit will tie him with Jeff Petry, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Josh Morrissey for the 34th best-paid defenseman in the league.
A few of those people names should send out a minor bit of hesitation down the backbone of Flames fans who never want to be trapped with an overpaid, underperforming veteran, but there are a couple matters in Calgary’s favor.
One particular, the salary cap is predicted to enhance significantly around the upcoming couple decades, which means Weegar’s contract will not be as significant as those other figures have been. Second, the group is clearly centered on retaining its aggressive window open suitable now, even following shedding Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau in the offseason. Huberdeau’s enormous eight-12 months, $84M extension proves that. That agreement will probably search terrible down the line, but for now, the crew has at least two yrs with this excellent main in area.
Notably, equally Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, two of the most crucial players on the workforce, are scheduled for UFA standing after 2023-24. They will each be wanting for raises, and the Flames may well have to make some hard choices with the relaxation of their roster to hold them. If that indicates reducing talent in other places, they’ll at least have Huberdeau and Weegar (and Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman and Rasmus Andersson) locked in as leaders for the extended term.
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