Why did Weegar waive his trade protection to go to Utah? Here’s what GM Armstrong said

It’s official: MacKenzie Weegar is a member of the Utah Mammoth. But it wasn’t without some deliberation on the player’s part.

His contract dictates that he can’t be traded unless he signs off on it, and that was the reason for the several-hour gap between the time the deal was first reported and the time it became official.

Including this year, Weegar still has six seasons remaining on his contract, so it wasn’t a decision to take lightly — but he eventually said yes.

At an impromptu press conference at a hotel in Philadelphia Wednesday evening, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong explained the process of convincing Weegar to choose Utah — a place he’s likely only visited in the Calgary Flames’ handful of visits over the past two years — as his long-term home.

“That’s the new norm when you’re making deals. A lot of them have trade protection,” he said. “So you have to go through that and explain a little bit about our team and a little bit about Utah. As you know, Utah is a new city to the National Hockey League, and you want to explain who we are and where we’re headed.

“I think we’ve played Calgary pretty tough over the years, so I think he had a good understanding of how we play and what we are. He’s been into Utah before and seen the loudest building in the NHL.”

The Mammoth have never been shy about sharing their selling points: Engaged fans without excessive media attention; a brand-new, state-of-the-art practice facility; a players-first owner; a great place to raise a family, to name a few.

But there’s one thing that can make any NHL city attractive to players: the ability to win.

“He wants to win. He wants to push this club to the next level. So, it’ll be exciting when he arrives and actually gets in the lineup.”

The Flames’ trajectory is not one that would excite a 32-year-old on a long-term deal, but if the Mammoth’s current build is to eventually turn them into Stanley Cup contenders, it should happen while Weegar is still there.

Bill Armstrong says MacKenzie Weegar's timeline to start playing depends on the visa process.

Weegar is Canadian, so he needs proper documentation to be able to play in the U.S.

Armstrong estimates 4-10 days, so unless things move extra quickly, he probably won't play until…

— Brogan Houston (@houston_brogan) March 5, 2026

Where will MacKenzie Weegar fit in the Utah Mammoth’s lineup?

While line combinations are yet to be determined, the Mammoth now have three highly reliable defensemen of each handedness: Mikhail Sergachev, Nate Schmidt and Ian Cole on the left side, and Weegar, Sean Durzi and John Marino on the right.

Additionally, Nick DeSimone is the perfect seventh defenseman in the sense that he makes an impact whether he’s playing every game or hasn’t played in weeks — and he doesn’t complain about ice time.

Weegar is the type of guy you want in the playoffs. He’s skilled and he’s fierce. He’s not the biggest guy in the league, but he plays like he is.

“He’s someone that, the way he plays, he just has that gritty style with a little bit of finesse to it,” Armstrong said.

“... It’s going to be a good D tandem back there that can really weather some tough playoff games. We’ve got to get in there first, but when we do, it’s going to give us a chance to have a good, experienced core that can play in the playoffs.”

Will the Utah Mammoth make more moves before the trade deadline?

Armstrong answered this question succinctly.

“The trade deadline is not over yet, so there’s still more time on the clock.”

Here are a few players they may be targeting.