Mackenzie Weegar is Good - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

SuperMatt18 · 02-20-2023, 10:07 PM

Over the last two weeks I've seen too many posts where Mackenzie Weegar is grouped into the Huberdeau, Markstrom, and Kadri contracts and that's just not the case.

He's great value at $3.25M, and will be good value at $6.25M. 45 dmen will make over $6M next year and I'm perfectly fine with the Flames paying Weegar that much.

People are disaapointed in his points but he's played no PP time, so that was always going to reduce his numbers. And as a whole this team isn't as prolific as the Panthers from last year either.

Overall though he's still a pretty great d-man at 5v5.

Goals: 1 (Team D Rank: 6th)
Assists: 13 (2nd)
Points: 14 (3rd)
Shots: 86 (2nd)
Hits: 108 (1st)
Blocked Shots: 59 (3rd)
Individual xG: 4.3 (1st)

Corsi For %: 61.6% (1st)
xGF/60: 2.87 (4th)
xGA/60: 2.05 (1st - 3rd in the entire NHL)
xGF%: 58.4% (2nd - 7th in the whole NHL)

GF/60: 2.25 (5th)
GA/60: 2.13 (1st - remarkable when you have a on ice .899 SV%)
GF%: 51.4% (5th)
On Ice Shooting %: 6.41% (6th)
On Ice Save %: .899 (5th)

Him and Tanev have had horrible shooting and save percentage luck this season, but overall they still have been our two most reliable dman. And IMO Weegar has been good with and without Tanev, where I feel like Hanifin and Andersson can really struggle when Tanev is out.

On top of that he's been good on the PK. Has been flexible to play with different d partners, and bounce from the LH to the RH side of the ice.

If not for a terrible on ice shooting percentage and individual shooting percentage his counting stats would look a lot better. Wouldn't mind him getting more PP time too.

Much like TJ Brodie in the past people will fixate on the bad giveaways every couple games, but overall he more than makes up for that.

Personally I'm happy Weegar is part of the team and have no issues with that contract.

And as an extra here is his JFresh player card.

N-E-B · 02-20-2023, 10:16 PM

Honestly I’ve only really had consistent issues with two players this year: Huberdeau and Markstrom. Unfortunately those also happen to be the two most important pieces of our team.

Weegar hasn’t been an issue.

AC · 02-20-2023, 10:21 PM

I said earlier this season that for me, Weegar has been much better defensively than I expected. Unfortunately he's also been much worse offensively than I expected.

Still an effective player, but it's shocking he only has 1 goal and 15 assists so far. Like you said, that does feel like randomly bad luck this year since even Connor Mackey randomly has 2 goals this year and Gilbert also has 1 goal.

I would be more encouraged if Weegar was involved in more scoring chances for that just didn't go in for some reason, but I only notice him turn the puck over in the offensive zone. Hopefully that area of his game improves.

TrentCrimmIndependent · 02-20-2023, 10:30 PM

If he can rebuild an offensive touch on top of his defensive game here it will be a good contract.

I don't have any complaints really. It's not like he's been used much on the PP to help his totals

Sandman · 02-20-2023, 10:33 PM

Weegar would have great numbers if he was set up better. He doesn't get a lot of PP opportunities, and his pairing is more of a shut-down pairing.

Johnny Makarov · 02-20-2023, 10:35 PM

Was not happy at first with him as every one of his mistakes seemed to end up in the back of our net like TJ Brodie. Hasn't been glaringly bad like that in the past 20 or so games.

ForeverFlameFan · 02-20-2023, 10:45 PM

He’s been a great d-man for us. Happy to have him for another 8 years at that bargain contract with the cap eventually going up.

Snuffleupagus · 02-21-2023, 01:20 AM

Why Weegar isn't on the PP is a mystery

combustiblefuel · 02-21-2023, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Why Weegar isn't on the PP is a mystery

Sutter.

I will prefix it that he is on track for the same numbers he had before covid. 2020 to 2022 was his best. It vould be playing basically juat the same division over and over helped him . In the before times his numbers are the same as today's except during covid he played 1 year where before covid he didn't play really more than 60 games. This year at his current pace he will still beat his previous marks if he stays healthy.

The 2 covid year really screwed his his offensive numbers . Right out inflated them. Even then he's not a goal scorer he is a playmaker. There is n9 reason to be disappointed that he's not a offensive dean. His bread and butter has always been a solid dependable defensive blueman. His defensive numbers have always been solid. That's what he was in junior's too. I don't care he's not an o festive threat . He has the same ability as Andersaon . Great skating and an ungodly ability to keep the puck in at the blue line.

If you want to break it down if Anderson is on pp1 Weeger should be on pp2 .

They are basically Carbon copies of one another. Go ahead check the stats yourself, I'll wait.

The majority of differences now is Anderson anchors his own line vs being with gio and is a mouth peice but never fights

Weeger is on line one (older version of ras) with tanev(New Gio) and will fight

I like both players, both are solid but the main point should be anything Ras is doing Weeger could do

Flames1217 · 02-21-2023, 04:50 AM

He has been great and is a beast defensively.

I think him switching from LD to RD 15 times this year hasn't helped with his production though and has caused some stumbles.

Hopefully next year you line him up as your #2 RD and stick him there all year.

Saqe · 02-21-2023, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Why Weegar isn't on the PP is a mystery

I don't think it's a mystery, it's the same reason why he wasn't on the PP in Florida. He just isn't very good at it and you have better options available.

And I said this by the way immediately after the signing before someone says it's hindsight.

Saqe · 02-21-2023, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flames1217

He has been great and is a beast defensively.

I think him switching from LD to RD 15 times this year hasn't helped with his production though and has caused some stumbles.

Hopefully next year you line him up as your #2 RD and stick him there all year.

I think his point production is just the result of team production, the Flames are currently 18th in GF. And in general I would expect him to put up around 30 points, he has never been an offensive defenseman. I doubt his struggles have to do with moving from LD to RD, he did that alot in Florida.

Scroopy Noopers · 02-21-2023, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saqe

I don't think it's a mystery, it's the same reason why he wasn't on the PP in Florida. He just isn't very good at it and you have better options available.

And I said this by the way immediately after the signing before someone says it's hindsight.

And what he’s really good at is D… so you put him in those spots.

Saqe · 02-21-2023, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

And what he’s really good at is D… so you put him in those spots.

Yes, absolutely. I like Weegs a lot but one thing what he is not is a PP QB.

SuperMatt18 · 02-21-2023, 07:56 AM

Yeah for all the talk of offensive struggles for Weegar he's only 3 points behind Andersson at 5v5 who has 17. PP just inflates the rest of the totals.

GioforPM · 02-21-2023, 08:01 AM

If a D man successfully exits and puts the puck up the ice efficiently at even strength, leading to offensive zone time and (hopefully) goals for the team, I’m not fussed about counting stats. It just mans a couple forwards got touches before a goal happens.

Vinny01 · 02-21-2023, 08:31 AM

I haven’t seen close to enough to get excited about an 8 year deal at $6.25M kicking in next year. That is a high price for a second pair D on a deal that will only age poorly.

Bingo · 02-21-2023, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I haven’t seen close to enough to get excited about an 8 year deal at $6.25M kicking in next year. That is a high price for a second pair D on a deal that will only age poorly.

Think you're over thinking the 2nd pair thing.

He's an elite chance/shot suppressing defenseman playing with Calgary's best defenseman.

You get paid for that quality and his contract is fine by that measure.

traptor · 02-21-2023, 08:35 AM

Out of the 3 new guys (weegar, kadri and huberdeau) if I had the choice to keep one and rlget rid of two, I would keep weegar. Hes been solid and he's on a reasonable contract. He also has low milage given his age.

However, if the right trade came along for a legit top line winger (e.g. debrincat), I would do it.

Strange Brew · 02-21-2023, 08:40 AM

I'm happy with Weegar. Was expecting he would have more of an impact in gaining the offensive zone, but really that hasn't been much of an issue for the Flames.

He's a good skater so you'd hope he would be helpful in containing the Oilers forwards, something that was exposed in the playoffs last year. Haven't really seen enough of that this year to have an opinion. But unfortunately getting past anyone in the playoffs isn't the worry at the moment.