Huberdeau, Weegar open to long-term deals in Calgary

Calgary Flames fans can exhale.

After going through the emotional rollercoaster of losing star forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk (no team has ever lost two 100-point players in the same off-season), newly acquired Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar both said Monday that they are open to continuing their careers in southern Alberta.

The star winger and stalwart blueliner, acquired by GM Brad Treliving in a blockbuster deal with Florida on Friday night for Tkachuk, met Calgary reporters via Zoom on Monday.

“We didn’t really expect it,” Huberdeau said of the trade. “Late on Friday night, I mean, you don’t think you’re going to get a call, but we did. I think it’s part of the hockey business…I was [in Florida] for a really long time. That where I obviously got drafted, so it was a big shock for me and my family.

“…I’m excited to be a Flame. I’m excited to meet the guys and get going in this new city.”

One of the first questions thrown their way was if the duo would consider committing to the team and city after their current deals expire in 2023 and they can become unrestricted free agents.

"I'm open to staying in Calgary for a long time,” Huberdeau said. “…I leave it to the GM and my agent, and they already started talking about it. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

“Same here,” Weegar said, adding that he was looking forward to his agent having conversations with Treliving. “With the city and the team, there’s no reason not to be open about it.”

When asked what goes into a player’s checklist for a long-term contract, Weegar elaborated on what he values.

“Are we a winning team?” he said. “How is the city? How are the teammates? How are the coaches? Those are some of the boxes you check to sign with a team. I’ve heard good things about all those things in Calgary.”

Before any extensions get finalized, the Flames have a regular season where expectations are suddenly raised. Earlier in the off-season, the possibility of losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk – two thirds of the top line in the NHL in 2021-22 – led many to believe the Flames would take a step back.

Now, having replaced Tkachuk with a 115-point player in Huberdeau and added a solid defenceman in Weegar, Calgary might just be the favourites to win the Pacific Division again. Treliving also managed to add a first-round draft pick and prospect Cole Schwindt in the trade.

“Obviously, it’s a really good team. I’m excited to join these guys,” Huberdeau said. “They want to win. It is not a rebuild. This team is good. …We’re coming in and we’re going to help them to get to the next level.”

“Obviously, it has been an emotional week with the ups and downs of losing two great players,” Weegar added. “...I don’t think it’s a rebuild either. I think when you bring in Jonny and I, we’re here to win. I think Brad knows that. He wants to win now, and the team wants to win now. So, I think we’ve got a really good chance at winning the Stanley Cup.”

As for roster fit, it’s easy to slot Huberdeau alongside centre Elias Lindholm. While his linemates got plenty of attention, Lindholm finished second in Selke Trophy voting behind Patrice Bergeron while adding 42 goals.

"Hopefully he can score 50 with me,” Huberdeau joked. “He’s a great player. …I’m a playmaker. I try to set up the guys and try to make people better around me. He’s a guy who goes to the right spot and can obviously get the puck and puts it in. I think it would be a great fit, but I haven’t really thought about who I’m going to play with.”

Weegar, meanwhile, can play either his strong or weak side on the back end. 

“I’m comfortable with both sides. I’m open to anything,” he said. “Wherever the coach wants me is where I’ll play. That’s my mentality.”

Calgary’s defence of Weegar, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Oliver Kylington (an unsigned restricted free agent) is one of the best bluelines in the game and play in front of a Vezina finalist in Jacob Markstrom.

While the team may be down a 100-point winger, they might be even tougher to play against with this lineup – especially considering the playoff experience so many young Flames got during the 2022 playoffs.

Huberdeau and Weegar were both on a squad in Florida that, like Calgary, did not quite get over the playoff hump. The Panthers were swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round, and both players are eager to use that experience in their new sweaters.

“The playoffs are a totally different season,” Huberdeau said. “…Obviously, we played a good team in Tampa. They pay attention to detail. You can see the experience they have. That makes a big difference. Me and Mackenzie learned a lot about how you play in the playoffs. I think we can bring that to Calgary.”

“It’s a different beast,” Weegar said of the postseason. “It’s completely different than the regular season. You gotta pay attention to everything, and it comes down to who is going to be the more desperate team. …I’m looking forward to joining this team and getting over the hump together.”

Huberdeau hails from Saint-Jerome, Que., while Weegar is from Ottawa. Both spoke about how special it was for two Canadian kids to play north of the border.

“This is super cool for me,” Weegar said. “…The fans here are so passionate. They’re loud. I know when Jonny and I have come to Calgary and played against the Flames it’s been crazy. Watching you guys in the playoffs and seeing the Sea of Red and stuff like that, now to be part of it is a really cool feeling.”

“I never thought I would play in Canada,” Huberdeau added. “There’s a lot of history with this club. …They lost their two best players on the team, and I think it was tough for the fans and the community. Now we’re kind of rejuvenating everyone. It’s cool to see that we can bring that to the Flames and the fans.”