'An Honour To Be In The Mix'

STOCKHOLM - MacKenzie Weegar isn't one to blend into the background.

Not with his game, nor with his personality.

But the Flames blueliner still felt it was important to be seen in another international audition with Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

The Olympics are just around the corner, after all.

And Sweden is where all the cool kids are hanging out.

"You've got Sid (Crosby) and Nate (MacKinnon) and (Jordan) Binnington... everybody's coming here to get ready for the Olympics," Weegar said. "Now that I've got to meet them a little bit, get comfortable around them... you know, maybe they can throw my name in the hat a little bit, too. I mean, I'm just happy to be here and experience it all. Playing with Sid, it's kind of a surreal experience right now.

"I'm just trying to take this moment in and if I get to bring it over there I'll be comfortable with that group over there because half the team is already here."

One could forgive Weegar if he happened to declined the invitation.

A push on the same stage in 2023, where he helped Canada to gold as the tournament's top defenceman, put him in consideration but couldn't quite yield him an opportunity to tug on the same logo he's got tattooed on his left bicep at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February - the first best-on-best NHLers had the opportunity to participate in since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

It takes more than that to sour the man affectionately referred to as 'Weegs' within the cozy confines of the Scotiabank Saddledome.

"It's a tough situation," admitted Weegar, who wrapped his regular-season schedule with 47 points (8G, 39A) in 81 games with the Flames.

"You want to be disappointed but you're also happy you're in the mix, too. You want to be there, but you also understand. Even our d-core here (at the Worlds), it's a hell of a d-core and there are so many guys fighting for that job. I'll give myself another good shot at it again next year and see what I can do to try to prove them wrong and get me in the lineup.

"It's obviously a little disappointing, but at the same time it's also an honour to be in the mix."

That disappointment never crept into his game.

The snub would've stung, no doubt, but it wasn't something seen at the surface, according to Head Coach Ryan Huska.

"Hey, he wanted it," said Huska, cruising with Canada alongside Weegar in an assistant coaching capacity. "He really wanted to be a part of that team for sure, but that's where his maturity... for me, over the last three years seeing that... he won't show you that it's bothering him.

"I think that's where he's grown up a lot. He'll tell you right to your face, like, 'Yeah, I'm disappointed... I would've loved to been on that team, I would've given anything to play on that team, but I've still got to play hockey now and try to make my way onto other teams and help my team win.'

"That's one of the things that I love about him. There's no fluff. There's no kicking stones. There's nothing like that. It's just about, 'Yep, I wish I was there, but I'm not, so I'm going to be at my best here tonight for our team.'"

That best might earn him another chance at Canada's roster.

It's in the back of Weegar's mind.

But, in the forefront, it's just another opportunity to soak in an experience.

And, indirectly, connect back to Calgary.

"I'd say one of the biggest reasons to be here is obviously to represent your country," Weegar said. "It's an honour. It's a great group this year. Obviously, the Olympics are coming up and you want to give yourself the best opportunity for that, but it's mostly about representing your country.

"At the same time it was a tough year again in Calgary and I want to give the fans something to cheer about, so I came here and let them watch us over here and give them something to cheer about here.

"If I can represent Calgary while being here that's what I want to do."