There is still something different about playing hockey in Canada.
You notice it when you walk into certain buildings. The noise is different, the expectations are higher, and in some cities, the hockey team is far more than another professional sports franchise. It is part of the identity of the community.
MacKenzie Weegar knows that better than most.
The Utah Mammoth defenseman spent parts of four seasons with the Calgary Flames, and while his time there ultimately ended with a trade, he has nothing but positive memories of playing in Canada. That is why Weegar admits it is difficult to watch more NHL players decide they would rather leave Canadian markets.
"As a Canadian-born player and to play in Calgary, for me personally, I had a great experience in Canada," Weegar said Wednesday on TSN's "Overdrive". "Calgary was an absolute blast to play in that city. ... It's a bit unfortunate to see players wanting out of Canada, just because I know how passionate the fans are there, the citizens in each city, and how much they love their hockey and their star players.
"You don't like to see it, but at the same time, there's a lot of teams out here, Utah ... that has to offer a little bit more than you'd say in Canada. But at the end of the day, I think we're all hockey players, and it doesn't really matter where you play. You just want to play in the NHL."
Weegar's own story is important context.
He did not formally request a trade. The Ontario native arrived in the 2022 blockbuster that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers and quickly became one of the most important players on the Flames' blue line. Over parts of four seasons, Weegar recorded 35 goals and 116 assists, including a career-high 20 goals in 2023-24.
Then, in March, Calgary traded him to Utah as the Flames continued to rebuild.
There is also a larger reason those decisions can be difficult for Canadian hockey fans to accept. It has now been more than three decades since a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup, with the Montreal Canadiens being the last to accomplish it in 1993.
Canadian teams have had opportunities since then, but they have repeatedly fallen just short.
The Edmonton Oilers came within one victory of the Stanley Cup in 2006 before losing Game 7 of the Final to the Carolina Hurricanes. Nearly two decades later, they reached the championship series again, pushing the Florida Panthers to a deciding game in 2024 before falling short. Edmonton returned to the Final the following season, but Florida finished the job again.
That history adds another layer to the frustration when Canadian teams lose important players. It is not as though Canada has stopped producing elite talent or its teams have stopped competing. They continue to make deep playoff runs. They just have not been able to bring the Cup back home.
And some of the biggest names to leave have gone on to find success elsewhere.
Tkachuk forced his way out of Calgary after the late Johnny Gaudreau left the Flames for Columbus, eventually landing in Florida and becoming a key part of a Panthers team that won back-to-back championships. Last season, Vancouver traded captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild after he indicated he would not re-sign. Then, in July, Ottawa dealt captain Brady Tkachuk to Florida after a much more complicated situation. Tkachuk had publicly said he was "fully committed" to the Senators just two months earlier before ultimately requesting a trade.
There is rarely one simple reason a player decides his future belongs somewhere else. Tkachuk wanted a better opportunity to compete for a championship. Gaudreau wanted to be closer to his family. Hughes had concerns about Vancouver's direction. Brady Tkachuk, despite his public commitment to Ottawa earlier in the year, had given plenty of indications that his relationship with the organization had become strained.
Sometimes, keeping a star is about more than simply offering the most money.
Weegar understands all of those factors.
Taxes matter. Lifestyle matters. Weather matters. And, as Weegar acknowledged, some American markets can offer players advantages they may not find in Canada. You can understand why a player might trade the winters of Calgary or Ottawa for the beaches and warmth of Florida, especially when the money and hockey opportunities are just as good — or better.
Utah offers some of those same advantages. For Weegar, that does not erase what he appreciated about playing in Canada. It simply gives him a perspective that allows him to understand why other players might make a different choice.
Professional hockey is a business, and players have every right to decide where they want to live and play. Still, there are aspects of the Canadian hockey experience that are difficult to measure.
There is the pressure, the tradition and the pride that comes with wearing a jersey generations of fans have grown up loving. There is also the feeling that an entire city is invested in what happens every night.
Weegar experienced that in Calgary. Now, with Utah, he is seeing the game from a different perspective.
Perhaps that is why his comments carry some weight. He understands why players leave Canada. He simply does not want them to forget what they are leaving behind.
Because in Canada, hockey has never really been just hockey. It's inheritance, obligation, and belonging, all wrapped into 60 minutes a night.
Weegar knows that as well as anyone who's worn the jersey. And now, wearing Utah's colors in the desert, he brings that experience with him — a veteran presence who understands exactly what pressure, tradition, and pride look like, and exactly what the Mammoth are getting in return.
