Flames Get Olli Määttä and Draft Capital in MacKenzie Weegar Deal

The Calgary Flames made a significant move last night, trading veteran defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth in exchange for defenseman Olli Määttä, prospect center Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round picks.

Welcome to the C of Red, Olli 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gwvNFsi1qq
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 5, 2026

The deal was finalized just hours before the Flames faced the Ottawa Senators. General manager Craig Conroy said he and Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong had been discussing the concept of a deal for some time, but negotiations accelerated Wednesday around lunchtime.

The trade sends the 32-year-old Weegar to a Utah team pushing for its first playoff berth while giving Calgary significant draft capital and roster flexibility. The second-round picks include selections from Utah, the New York Rangers, and the Ottawa Senators.

Checking All the Boxes

Both Weegar and Määttä needed to waive no-trade clauses to complete the transaction, adding complexity to the timeline. Conroy explained the rationale behind acquiring multiple assets in the deal rather than holding out for a single high-end prospect or pick.

"It just sets us up moving forward with the Draft capital that we're getting back, with a young player and a player like Olli Määttä," Conroy told Flames TV. "We kind of checked all the little boxes along the way."

Määttä immediately becomes the most experienced defenseman on Calgary's blue line from an NHL games-played perspective. The 31-year-old has more than 860 NHL regular-season and playoff games to his credit and won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Castagna is a 20-year-old center currently playing at Cornell University, where he's posted 32 points in 29 games this season. He was selected by Arizona in the third round of the 2023 draft.

Opening the Door for Zayne Parekh

With Rasmus Andersson traded in January and now Weegar gone, Calgary's right side on defense looks dramatically different. That creates an immediate opportunity for 19-year-old Zayne Parekh, the Flames' top defensive prospect. Conroy made it clear that Parekh's development was a major consideration in making this deal.

"I think the one thing that really does is Zayne on the power play," Conroy explained. "Zayne's going to see a bigger role moving forward, and it gives opportunities to guys on that right side to maybe come up and show what they can do."

Weegar's Struggles This Season

Weegar is in the midst of a difficult season, posting just three goals and 21 points in 60 games with a minus-35 rating, the worst in the NHL. That's a dramatic drop from last season when he recorded 47 points and his 2023-24 campaign when he set career highs with 20 goals and 52 points.

The veteran carries a $6.25 million cap hit through the 2030-31 season. For Utah, the hope is a change of scenery and playing for a playoff contender will help him rediscover his form. The Flames sit 12 points out of a playoff spot and are clearly in full seller mode with two days remaining until the deadline.

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