CALGARY, Alberta — The Calgary Flames have signed defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to an eight-year, $50 million extension, the team announced Friday.
Weegar arrived in Calgary on July 25 along with Jonathan Huberdeau in a trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.
Weegar would have become an unrestricted free agent next year.
“This is going to be fun,” Weeger said. “It’s going to be a long road, obviously it’s a lot of hard work and the hard work starts now. One of the reasons I signed here is because I believe in this team… We have a winning team, a winning coach. and a winning culture here”.
Weegar had eight goals and 36 assists in 80 games last season. The 26-year-old had 27 goals and 94 assists during his six seasons with the Panthers.
The Panthers selected Weegar in the seventh round of the 2013 draft.
“When I signed the deal I kept thinking about how long the road has been for me,” Weegar said. “All my friends and family … all the support. I’m not the one who signed this deal, it’s everyone around me.”