Senators ramp up trade talks for top-4 hometown defenseman

The Ottawa Senators’ pursuit of Calgary Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar isn’t exactly new news. However, their interest in him has reportedly increased and sources indicate the club has been monitoring the Ottawa native for “years.” According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period and The Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garriochthe Senators are pushing hard in hopes of landing him before 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 had discussions with the Calgary Flames about MacKenzie Weegar.”

Those talks apparently started in late January and Weegar, who signed an eight-year, $50 million ($6.25 million AAV) extension through 2030-2031, could be open to the idea. He has a full no-trade clause and would have to waive it — and the Flames reportedly haven’t asked for that yet — ready to spend the next four seasons in Ottawa.

Weegar would immediately strengthen Ottawa’s top-four defense alongside Thomas Chabot and provide the right-handed stability the Senators have lacked all season. The Senators are also a team on the rise, just outside the play-offs. If Weegar helps get them in, he would have 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 clear here. The Flames should be open to using arguably their best defenseman. He must refrain from joining the senators, and the two parties must determine which candidate will be decisive.

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

For GM Steve Staios, acquiring Weegar would be seen as a major victory. 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 into the playoffs this season.

Next: Canadiens’ top trade target left out: Plan B locked up?