Senators Ramping Up Trade Talks for Hometown Top-4 Defenseman

The Ottawa Senators’ pursuit of Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar isn’t exactly new news. However, their interest in him has reportedly ramped up and sources indicate the club has eyed the Ottawa native “for years.” According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, the Senators are pushing hard in the hopes of landing him ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 6, 2026.

---

Garrioch reports: “The Senators have been scouring the market for a blueliner who can play in the club’s top four all season, and league executives told Postmedia on Tuesday that the club may have held talks with the Calgary Flames about MacKenzie Weegar.”

Those talks apparently started in late January and Weegar, signed to an eight-year, $50 million extension ($6.25M AAV) through 2030-31, might be open to the idea. He has a full no-trade clause and would have to waive,– and the Flames reportedly haven’t asked yet — ready to spend the next four seasons in Ottawa.

Weegar would instantly solidify Ottawa’s top-four defense alongside Thomas Chabot and provide the right-handed stability the Senators have lacked all season. So too, the Senators are a team on the rise, sitting just outside the playoff picture. If Weegar helps get them in, he’d be playing meaningful playoff games.

What Do the Flames Want in Return for Weegar?

The rumored asking price from Calgary is a second-round pick plus a top prospect. While that seems reasonable for the Ottawa-born blueliner, there are several hurdles to jump here. The Flames have to be open to moving arguably their best defenseman. He has to waive to join the Senators, and the two sides have to determin which prospect moves the needle.

The Senators may not be the only team vying for Weegar. The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly also in the mix, per multiple reports. That could drive up the cost in a bidding war, which is precisely what Calgary wants. If Weegar is open to more than one option, that’s a best-case scenario situation for the Flames, who are deep in seller mode after moving Rasmus Andersson earlier this season.

For GM Steve Staios, acquiring Weegar would be seen as a big win. The defenseman’s local ties to Ottawa make it a potential feel-good story, and if he produces on the ice, Weegar could be the piece that punches the Senators’ ticket into the playoffs this season.

Next: Canadiens’ Top Trade Target is Off the Board: Plan B Locked In?