SUNRISE, Fla. -MacKenzie Weegar was used to waiting.
After going undrafted throughout his junior career, Weegar's dream of hearing his named called finally came true when the Florida Panthers selected the offensively-gifted defenseman with the 206th overall pick at the 2013 NHL Draft in Newark, New Jersey.
Draft Memories: MacKenzie Weegar
"People have always told me it doesn't matter if you're a first-round pick or a seventh-round pick," Weegar told reporters after he was drafted. "If you can play, you can make it."
Almost five years later, it's clear that Weegar can play.
An important piece of Florida's push to 96 points during the 2017-18 campaign, Weegar suited up in 60 games as a 24-year-old rookie, recording eight points (two goals, six assists) while also owning a 51.81 percent Corsi For rating - the best mark among Florida's defensemen.
With the 2018 NHL Draft set to be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on June 22-23, FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive recently caught up with Weegar to take a look back at his long wait and the eventual relief of finally stepping onto the stage as an NHL draft pick.
OLIVE: It's been five years since you were drafted. What memory sticks out the most?
WEEGAR: As a seventh-round draft pick, it was mostly a surprise. I went down there with my uncle and my mom and didn't really know what to expect. I just had fun with it. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, so I just went in there with an empty stomach and didn't even really know if I was going to be drafted. Then when I got picked, it made the whole weekend.
OLIVE: With the uncertainty surrounding whether or not you'd actually be drafted, what gave you the confidence to attend the event?
WEEGAR:It was pretty close to Ottawa. It was a six-hour drive, but my agency had some guys that were going in the early rounds so they wanted me to go down. I didn't really care if I was going to be drafted. I'm not one to care about that kind of stuff. I just went down there to see the city, but when I got drafted it felt like I had been taken first overall. It was great.
OLIVE: After going undrafted in both the OHL and NHL already, were you kind of over the idea of the draft at that point?
WEEGAR: Yeah. I didn't really think much of it. I obviously got passed over twice and I didn't get my drafted the year I was supposed to get drafted in the NHL. I just kind of didn't really think much about it. I knew I was going to have to take the long route, but fortunately I got drafted. I still had to take the long route to the NHL, but that made it a little bit shorter.
OLIVE: As the picks began to come off the board in the seventh round, what was going through your head?
WEEGAR: At the moment there was obviously a little bit of disappointment. There was a feeling of, like, "Aw, this isn't going to happen." But then my agent got a call saying that Florida wanted to trade with Montreal for another pick. I thought to myself, "This is my last chance." It ended up happening. You've just got to keep the faith and hope for the best, I guess."
OLIVE: How special did it make you feeling knowing that the Panthers traded back into the draft to select you, that even though it was the seventh round you were still someone they really wanted?
WEEGAR: Even though I was it was in the seventh round, they still went out of their way to trade for the pick select me. I knew that the team wanted me. They weren't just picking random guys. They were still looking pretty deep. I was pretty fortunate that [Panthers scout] Paul Gallagher went out of his way and made some moves. I owe it all to him.
OLIVE: What was the moment like when you finally heard your name called?
WEEGAR: I think we all were a little bit in shock and screamed. I left down the stairs and met the whole staff. It was the best feeling in the world.
OLIVE: There were 205 players picked before you over a two-day period. How did you spend the time leading up to your selection?
WEEGAR:Yeah, I know. It was a very long day. The agency had a lot of guys getting drafted early on, so I just stayed positive and chatted with the other guys, talked about how they were feeling, congratulating everybody else. I never got that negative and good things happened.
OLIVE: What was the post-draft process like after you were selected?
WEEGAR:That was really cool. I was super young. It honestly felt like I was Nathan MacKinnon getting drafted first overall. I had never had that experience before. I wanted my family with me whenever I was getting interview. I wanted to share the whole experience. We drove right home after the draft and I fell asleep in the jersey on the car ride home. I had a bunch of people calling me and texting me, but the day was so long that I fell asleep in my jersey and my hat.
OLIVE: Where's the jersey now?
WEEGAR: I've got it framed in the basement at my house.
OLIVE: Was there anything about your pre-draft talks with the Panthers that made you think they were going to draft you?
WEEGAR:There wasn't really that many teams talking to me. When I was in Halifax, Paul Gallagher was the scout at the time, kind of their East Coast scout. We had breakfast together and it went really well. He didn't really ask me any questions. He just took me out to breakfast and wanted to get to know me more. I guess he liked me.
OLIVE: You said that you knew you were going to have to take the long road to the NHL regardless of whether or not you were drafted. That being said, how much do you think being drafted has helped you get to where you are now?
WEEGAR: I don't really know where I would be without them drafting me. It gave me the opportunity to go to a camp every single year and prove that I was worthy enough to play in the NHL. It took a little while because I needed some developing, but that's exactly what they did for me. I'm very fortunate and happy that Florida drafted me because I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
OLIVE: Well, it was a pick that certainly has paid off for the Panthers, as you're coming off quite the rookie season in South Florida. What was it like to finally establish yourself at the game's highest level?
WEEGAR: I would say it's pretty relieving, but obviously I still have a lot of work to do. I want to be a solid D-man in the NHL for a long time. It took a long time to make it to the NHL and I want to stay there now. That's my goal.
OLIVE: The Panthers have a few late-round picks in this year's draft, including a pair of picks in the seventh round. As a former seventh-round pick yourself, what sort of advice would you give those players, the ones that have to take the longer route as you did.
WEEGAR: You've got to use it as motivation. There was a lot of people that didn't believe in me at the time, but I just used that as motivation to keep me going. Even when you get to camp, don't worry and don't feel pressure. There are a lot of great people at the Florida Panthers that will make you feel special. It's a great group, so just have fun.
