TORONTO - Coming off of the ice at Scotiabank Arena after the morning skate, Nikita Zadorov's voice could be heard down the hall.
"400 for Weegs!" he bellowed, letting it be known to all that MacKenzie Weegar will suit up for his 400th NHL game this evening when the Flames take on the Leafs at 5 p.m. MT (Sportsnet West, Sportsnet 960).
"Obviously, looking back, 400's a great milestone," Weegar said. "It's been a journey. But most importantly, you're looking for the two points."
Weegar's path to the NHL started back in 2013 when he was selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round of the NHL Draft. From there, he made his way through the pro ranks, with stops in the AHL and ECHL before landing a permanent NHL gig in the 2017-18 season.
He spent the next five years with the Panthers, playing in 306 games and posting 121 points during his tenure in Florida. Acquired by the Flames in the summer of 2022, he's since suited up for 93 games in Calgary and signed an eight-year extension with the organization in the fall of 2022.
"Every player, when you look back on every milestone, it's one of those things where you're privileged to play in the NHL and you don't take it for granted," he said. "You look back on the rollercoasters, the ups and downs, the great times, the bad times. It's been a journey - it's been a fun journey.
"It's another milestone and hopefully I've got many more left."
Weegar's in the midst of another rock-solid season, with five points through the opening 12 games, and four points in his last four outings. He and the Flames are feeling confident heading into this evening's battle with the Leafs and looking to pick up their third straight win.
"The feel around the room is good," he said. "Coming off two big wins, we've got to carry that into tonight. Obviously we've got some tough opponents on the road. First game on the road, you want to start off with a big win. It's going to be tough but I think if we carry that confidence over here tonight, I think we'll be okay.
"I think right now, in all scenarios, I think a lot of guys are more dialed in, more focused on the little details. That goes a long way. Obviously we didn't have the start that we wanted but now we can pick up on these wins and keep this thing going."
