After weeks of speculation, Team Canada has officially named veteran Drew Doughty to its lineup, meaning Calgary Flames defenseman Mackenzie Weegar will not be headed to the 4 Nations Face-off.
On Jan. 26, the Vegas Golden Knights defenseman decided to withdraw from the upcoming tournament, which led many hockey insiders and fans to debate the merits of his potential replacement.
At the top of the list was Weegar, who is having a solid season with the Flames. Through the first 47 games, the 31-year-old from Ottawa, ON, had five goals and 24 points with a plus-12 rating.
In seven games since Pietroangelo’s decision, Weegar has a goal, six points, and 18 shots while averaging 24:46 in ice time, skating almost a full minute more per game.
As mentioned, Team Canada opted to go with Doughty, who has only played six games, forgoing the opportunity to bring in someone like Weegar, Evan Bouchard, Brandon Montour, Kris Letang, Dougie Hamilton, Aaron Ekblad, or Jakob Chychrun.
Team Canada begins its quest for the championship on Wednesday, Feb. 12, when it plays Sweden at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
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