The Utah Mammoth acquired Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, bolstering their blueline as they seek their first playoff berth, an NHL source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.
The Mammoth sent defenseman Olli Maatta, prospect Jonathan Castagna and three 2026 second-round draft picks to the Flames for Weegar, a 32-year-old defenseman playing in his 10th NHL season.
Weegar had to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal, which was first reported by Sportsnet. He is signed through the 2030-31 season with a $6.25 million annual cap hit. His full no-trade clause becomes a 10-team no-trade list after next season.
To help make the money work under the cap, the Mammoth sent Maatta to the Flames. The 31-year-old veteran defenseman is signed through 2027-28 with a $3.5 million cap hit. He has been the odd-man out of the Utah defense corps this season, playing only 22 games and averaging 12:10 in ice time after playing 70 games and averaging 19:55 last season.
Castagna, 20, is an unsigned third-round draft pick in 2023. He’s a center in his third season with Cornell University and has 32 points in 29 games this season.
The three second-round picks include one belonging to the Mammoth; one from the New York Rangers; and one acquired from the Ottawa Senators in the 2023 Jakob Chychrun trade when the franchise was the Arizona Coyotes.
Weegar is looking to turn his career around with the Mammoth. His point totals have decreased over the past two seasons, and this campaign with the Flames has been disastrous: three goals and 18 assists in 60 games, skating to a minus-35, the worst rating in the NHL this season. The Mammoth are counting on Weegar rediscovering his game with a change in scenery and a new defense partner, as Utah could pair him with top defender Mikhail Sergachev.
Weegar goes from the third-worst team in the Western Conference to a Utah team that’s currently in the first wild card spot. The Mammoth are seeking their first playoff appeaerance since the franchise relocated to Salt Lake City in 2024.
