Mammoth’s MacKenzie Weegar gets real on American players forcing trades out of Canada

This hockey offseason has been a chaotic one, without a doubt. However, a point of controversy has arisen in the hockey community this summer. It’s one that has disappointed a lot of people, including Utah Mammoth star MacKenzie Weegar.

The trend in question is one that has seen American players requesting trades away from Canadian teams. This trend isn’t entirely new, but has reached a fever pitch this summer. Brady Tkachuk requested a trade out of Canada earlier in the offseason. And Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck went public with his trade request recently.

“As a Canadian-born player and to play in Calgary, for me personally, I had a great experience in Canada,” Weegar said Wednesday on TSN’s Overdrive. “Calgary was an absolute blast to play in that city. … It’s a bit unfortunate to see players wanting out of Canada, just because I know how passionate the fans are there, the citizens in each city, and how much they love their hockey and their star players.”

Weegar himself was traded out of Canada, though he is Canadian and did not force the move. The Calgary Flames traded him at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline to the Mammoth. In return, Calgary received two players and three second-round picks.

This trend could be traced back to 2022. Matthew Tkachuk requested a trade from the Flames, ending up with the Florida Panthers. Since then, players such as Alex DeBrincat, Brady Tkachuk, and Quinn Hughes have been traded by Canadian franchises to American clubs.

It’s a trend that could continue with Hellebuyck, should he be dealt to an American team. It seems as if this unfortunate trend will continue into 2026-27 and potentially beyond.

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