Huberdeau, Weegar open to long-term deals in Calgary

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Calgary Flames fans can exhale.

After going through the emotional rollercoaster of losing star forwards Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk (no team has ever lost two 100-point players in the same off-season), newly acquired Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar both said Monday that they are open to continuing their careers in southern Alberta.

The star winger and stalwart blueliner, acquired by GM Brad Treliving in a blockbuster deal with Florida on Friday night for Tkachuk, met Calgary reporters via Zoom on Monday.

“We didn’t really expect it,” Huberdeau said of the trade. “Late on Friday night, I mean, you don’t think you’re going to get a call, but we did. I think it’s part of the hockey business…I was [in Florida] for a really long time. That where I obviously got drafted, so it was a big shock for me and my family.

“…I’m excited to be a Flame. I’m excited to meet the guys and get going in this new city.”

One of the first questions thrown their way was if the duo would consider committing to the team and city after their current deals expire in 2023 and they can become unrestricted free agents.

"I'm open to staying in Calgary for a long time,” Huberdeau said. “…I leave it to the GM and my agent, and they already started talking about it. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

“Same here,” Weegar said, adding that he was looking forward to his agent having conversations with Treliving. “With the city and the team, there’s no reason not to be open about it.”

When asked what goes into a player’s checklist for a long-term contract, Weegar elaborated on what he values.

“Are we a winning team?” he said. “How is the city? How are the teammates? How are the coaches? Those are some of the boxes you check to