One of the best defensive pairings in the NHL ended this summer with the Florida Panthers’ deal MacKenzie Weegar to the Calgary Flames.
On July 22, the Flames and Panthers combined in one of the biggest trades of the salary cap era, with Calgary sending sinister power forward Matthew Tkachuk to Florida in exchange for Weegar, winger Jonathan Huberdeauoutlook Cole Swallowsand a conditional first-round selection in 2025.
Two weeks later, Calgary general manager Brad Treliving flew to Montreal to meet his new star winger for steak and baked halibut at Bar George in the city’s Golden Square Mile, an evening now dubbed by Flames fans “The Dinner” is referred to because Huberdeau, a native of Saint-Jerome, Que., signed an eight-year, $84 million contract days later.
Before that dinner in Montreal, a “last supper” was held in Miami Beach – the wedding of Panthers Blueliner Aaron Ekblad.
Huberdeau, Weegar and several of their former Florida teammates toasted the Ekblads and the end of an era for the franchise. Huberdeau, picked third overall by the Panthers in 2011, holds multiple all-time team records including games played (671) and points (613).
Ottawa native Weegar was picked in the late round in 2013 and went on to become one of the most underrated defensemen in the league, while Windsor, Ontario native Ekblad has been a pillar of the Panthers franchise since making his debut a year later rating was chosen. They had spent almost a decade together in Florida, but their time together, at least on the ice, came to an end that day in July.
“There was just a lot of big hugs and talk about when we get to Calgary we’re going to have dinner; If you guys come to Florida, we’ll hang out,” said 26-year-old Ekblad.
“Just talk about not letting our friendship drift away. I think we won’t have a problem with that.”
Ekblad and 28-year-old Weegar formed one of the National Hockey League’s best duos last season. In 5-on-5, they ranked 11th among all defensive pairs* in controlling 56.24 percent of shots and 13th in goal percentage (61.54). Over the past two seasons, Weegar has ranked second among all NHL defensemen with plus 69 and 15th with 80 points.
“It’s not easy as a right-handed defender on the left,” said Ekblad. “He sort of managed that. That’s extremely impressive… we just had a telepathic sense of what we were going to do. It was almost a look. You get that with a defense partner when you’ve played a decent amount of time together, you get that look in your eyes and I know what he wants from me and I know what he wants from me.
On or off the ice, part of a great partnership is brutal honesty with a goal to improve.
“We weren’t afraid to go back to the bench and have a big F—you [shouting] fit too,” said Ekblad.
“We were always friends no matter what, but we were accountable and wanted the best for each other and that served us well.”
Ekblad and Weegar would often skate together before other Panthers hit the ice and would work on the details of the game.
“I don’t know if he liked it, but I used to drag him out early and just pass a hundred pucks to myself,” Ekblad said.
“I would skate with us on the ice and we would throw pucks at each other’s feet and have to pick them up, grab hard passes and you would have to pick them up and put them on your racquet.”
As for Huberdeau, Ekblad simply said that his former teammate was a “damn good hockey player.”
The blockbuster deal marks the beginning of a new era for two franchises looking to cement themselves as enduring playoff contenders. Despite the many reasons for optimism for both the Flames and Panthers heading into the 2022-23 season, there is a human component to a trade when two good friends have to part ways.
“I’m going to miss these guys like crazy,” said Ekblad.
“Weegs’ dog and my dog are brothers from another mother. Actually I think they are brothers from the same mother. We’re nearby. It absolutely broke my heart when they swapped… when we’re together it’s just laughter. It’s a good, honest conversation, it’s just natural.”
*Among 101 Defense Pairs 2021-22 with at least 200 minutes together. Data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
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