The case for MacKenzie Weegar to make the 2026 Canadian Olympic team

We are about a month out from NHL training camps finally opening up and putting to an end this incredibly boring offseason that we have had up to this point. Hockey coming back is always exciting, but this year will bring something that we haven’t seen in over a decade: the NHL is going back to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

After the major success of the 4 Nations Face-Off back in February, excitement levels could not be higher for the biggest international tournament in the world to finally have the best players in the world going head-to-head.

I don’t know how many players from the Calgary Flames will be representing their respective countries at the tournament, but I do know that MacKenzie Weegar has a very strong case to crack the roster after being left off of the 4 Nations team. Let’s dig into why Weegar should be a strong candidate for Team Canada when they hit the ice in February.

The ability to play any role, anywhere in the lineup

Weegar has been the catalyst of the Flames’ defence since arriving in 2022. From starting on a strictly shutdown role on a pair with Chris Tanev, to being given more of an offensively minded chance with Rasmus Andersson, to now being asked to carry the defence on his back with a journeyman in Joel Hanley, Weegar has been asked to do everything, and has responded by doing it all.

Weegar came to Calgary as a known commodity, a fantastic defender with shades of offensive upside. His first season in Calgary was great. He was so good in his own end, but he just couldn’t muster up the offence. His second year was a career season—20 goals, most points in any year of his career—while still being that stout defender.

This past season might have been his best, though, playing a majority of the year with an unknown in Hanley. Weegar was a menace in his own end and created a ton offensively. He was asked to be the backbone of the team, and he responded by putting up elite results all year long with less-than-optimal partners.

This should play well into Weegar’s hands when the team is being selected. He can play his strong side, he can play his weak side, he can quarterback a power play, he can be the shutdown defender of the unit, he can play big minutes, and he will not complain if they cut it short. He is the ultimate team guy, and in a tournament where finding chemistry early on is key, Weegar has proved that in his time with Calgary, the Florida Panthers, and his two stints at the World Championships that he can play with anyone and in any role.

Weegar has dominated

I don’t think it is a stretch to say that Weegar is one of the most underrated players in the entire NHL. His play over the last few seasons has flown completely under the radar, and based on his play in the 2023–24 season alone, he probably should have made the 4 Nations roster, but alas, here we are.

I have talked about Weegar’s first two seasons in Calgary at length plenty of times before, but let’s focus primarily on this past season, because I think it was his best season to date. Weegar scored eight goals this past year and recorded 47 points. Sure, those stats don’t jump off the page like his stat line from the previous season. However, it becomes much more impressive when you look at the roster the Flames iced, who he played with, and how the team could not score goals to save their lives. They ranked 29th overall for goals for and had a -16 goal differential as a team. Weegar’s season becomes more impressive when you see that he had a plus/minus rating of +18. To be on a team that couldn’t score, scored fewer goals than they gave up, and played with replacement-level players for the entire year, it almost doesn’t seem real that Weegar could have been a net positive, but he was.

He tilted the ice in the Flames’ favour all year long, whether he was paired with Hanley, Danill Miromanov, Jake Bean, or Brayden Pachal, he made sure to drag them out of the mud and onto the island of relevancy. No player had a more positive impact playing with Weegar than Hanley did, who received a nice raise this offseason.

There were plenty of nights where Weegar was the Flames’ best skater, and he always made sure to impact the game on a positive level. It clearly rubbed off on his teammates, and he became the leader this year on and off the ice. Will any of that sway the minds of the guys in charge of selecting the team? I’m not too sure, however, another good start to this season could put Weegar’s name right in the mix.

A tough group to beat out

Team Canada obviously has a ton of talent at their disposal for this upcoming tournament, and they had an up close look at a team in a much shorter tournament just six months ago. It would not shock me to see them run back the same team, but it is decisions like that and getting too comfortable that have come back to bite them before.

There is just one defencemen that is already on the Olympic team, and that is Cale Makar, who was obviously going to be on the team. After that, on the right side, I think it is totally wide open. Colton Parayko and Drew Doughty were the other two guys on the right side for Canada back in February, but I can see a scenario play out where neither of them makes the cut this time around. Doughty showed his age, and another year older and slower could lead to him losing out. Parayko was solid, but I think there is a real case for Weegar to get the jump over him.

The other main player that Weegar will be battling for a spot would be Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard. The offence from Bouchard is undeniable, and he is one of the league’s best offensive defencemen. However, the defensive play is shaky, and Weegar clearly has him beat there.

The advantage Weegar has is his ability to play both sides strongly. He is better on his strong side, but he has shown in the past that he doesn’t struggle when he is asked to play on the left. Versatility will be key, and Weegar’s got that in his bag.

A strong start could get his foot in the door

There are going to be a lot of eyeballs on everyone this year, with the Olympics coming up. Every player who has a chance at making the team will be making sure to be a little extra prepared going into each game. If Weegar can start off strong and limit his mistakes, I am sure he will catch the eyes of the Team Canada staff in charge of selecting the team.

He was one of the final cuts last year, and going to World Championships two of the last three years surely puts him in the good graces of the management team. If Weegar can do what he does best, I am sure he will be in the running to represent Canada at the pinnacle of international hockey to bring gold home once again.