MacKenzie Weegar is proud of his roots.

His roots are proud of him, too.

Weegar will be honoured by his hometown junior club Sunday; the Flames defenceman is set to be on hand in Ottawa – in the rink he spent countless hours in as a kid and young adult – as the Junior ‘A’ Nepean Raiders raise his number to the rafters.

Rookie of the Year. Bogart Cup Champion. NHL Draft pick.

Join us next Sunday, November 24th, as we honour MacKenzie Weegar.

Once A Raider, Always A Raider. #RaiderPride pic.twitter.com/TPj8RlcrZQ

— Nepean Raiders (@Nepeanraiders) November 18, 2024

Weegar spent one season with the Central Canada Junior Hockey League team, but if you ask him, 2011-12 was memorable for many reasons. He was named the league’s rookie of the year, and helped the Raiders capture a championship – all while sporting a blonde mullet he insists he still has photos of on his phone.

“It was a cool season,” Weegar reminisced Friday. “I just was out there kinda just playing with my buddies. We had a great team; Ben Hutton was on the team, Dalen Hedges who went on to Northeastern, Ryan Johnston who got drafted to Montreal.

“Ended up winning the league that year against Cornwall. It was a special year.”

Weegar’s path to becoming a Calgary Flames star has taken some twists and turns. He was not selected in the Ontario Hockey League’s draft, and spent his 16-year-old season playing Junior ‘B’ before making the jump to Junior ‘A’ and the Raiders.

From there, he moved on to the Halifax Mooseheads, where alongside the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and Calgary Wranglers forward Martin Frk, he captured QMJHL and Memorial Cup titles in 2013 before being selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round – in his second year of NHL Draft eligibility.

He credits the coaching staff in Nepean – in particular bench boss Peter Goulet – for helping him realize a future in pro hockey was within reach.

“(Goulet) has a huge impact on my life, I give him a huge shoutout,” Weegar said. “Just all around a stand-up guy, would do everything for you.

“I think that was the year where you started to realize what kind of player you were, becoming an NHL player and that you have a chance. That was the year where everybody started to inspire me, and motivate me to move on to the next level.

“That team kick-started my career, for sure.”

Sunday’s ceremony is recognition of all of those experiences.

Weegar says he’ll have plenty of friends and family on hand – but also former teammate and ‘best buddy’ Brandon Watt, whose father Randy, is also being honoured by the team Sunday.

“He’s had quite a big impact on the community for Nepean, he’s been part of the community for years and years,” said Weegar. “It’s pretty special to be alongside him.”

A special distinction, for a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve night in, night out in front of the C of Red.

A Raider, and a Flame, through and through.

“It’s pretty special, pretty emotional; I still can’t believe it in a way, to be honest,” Weegar said. “Just to be from Nepean, and going home and getting my jersey retired at my home rink where I grew up playing, it’s pretty special.

“It’s a big honour.”