By: Eli Zemach
Canadian born defenseman MacKenzie Weegar has been a refreshing sign of defensive talent for the Florida Panthers through this last regular season.
Drafted by the Panthers 206th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Weegar didn’t play his first NHL game until 2017. However since his NHL debut, Weegar has been a regular for the Panthers; He has played 226 games with 77 points and a notable +37 goal differential.
His most notable season has been this past 2020-2021 regular season, posting 29 points in 54 games at age 27, and being the Panthers’ number one defenseman in the absence of Aaron Ekblad. Weegar brings this element of offensive and defensive awareness, as well as impressive skating, shooting, and positional abilities. He has stapled his spot in the Florida Panthers starting lineup this year by being more than just an average defenseman.
Weegar brings a remarkable intensity every shift with his physical presence and offensive bursts of talent. MacKenzie Weegar is a defenseman that surpassed all expectations and is continuing to make a difference for the Florida Panthers. Although he didn’t pick up a point in the first game of the battle of the sunshine state, he left the ice with 4 hits and a plus one goal differential.
Late draft picks like MacKenzie Weegar tend not to make such a splash in the NHL, but MacKenzie Weegar has taken those expectations and thrown them right out the window with his solid defensive and offensive play for the Florida Panthers.
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