MacKenzie Weegar says Utah is the 'new destination city' in the NHL

SALT LAKE CITY – Despite being the newest market in the National Hockey League, Utah has already established itself as a premier place to play the game.

With an elite ownership group, committed fanbase, worldclass practice facility, updated arena and a promising young core well on their way, Salt Lake is quickly transforming into a “destination city” for players around the league.

MacKenzie Weegar says Utah is becoming a ‘destination city’

While discussing the continued departure of American stars from Canadian markets during an interview with OverDrive 1050, Utah mammoth defenseman MacKenzie Weegar described Utah as the “new destination city” in the NHL.

.@weega52 on joining the Mammoth, the Flames’ experience and players departing from Canadian markets#TusksUp https://t.co/0TxrbiyTR2

— OverDrive (@OverDrive1050) September 2, 2026

“I’ve got no complaints about Utah,” Weegar told OverDrive. “If you look around the league right now, I think Utah is that new destination city that a lot of players want to go to. I got to see it firsthand last year when I got traded.”

“It’s an easy group here. Starting from ownership down to Bill Armstrong, down to the players. It’s a comfortable place to play. It’s a great hockey team. Going into playoffs, I wasn’t really sure what to expect but that Delta Center, that place rocks.”

As Weegar noted, there’s a lot for NHL players to like about Utah.

In addition to being a quiet place to raise a family, it also features one of the nicest practice facilities in the league, an updated arena, a rambunctious fanbase and an ownership group/front office with eyes only for the Cup.

“Hockey will never work in Utah.”#TusksUp pic.twitter.com/8fYHg8wPNQ

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 25, 2026

So, where exactly is the proof that players around the league are taking notice of the beehive state?

In the two years Utah has been a hockey town, they’ve already extended a handful of their core pieces on long term deals with ease (Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley, Nick Schmaltz, Karel Vejmelka, and John Marino) while convincing trade targets such as MacKenzie Weegar and Vincent Trocheck to waive or lift their NTC’s.

“Ryan called me and was just such a good dude,” Trocheck said during a recent interview with the Daily Faceoff. “He’s willing to do whatever it takes. Anything that me and the family need, he’ll do.”

“We got to see the facilities…I’d never seen anything like it.”

Trocheck talks Ryan Smith, practice facility, & Utah’s family culture:

“Ryan called me and was just such a good dude…he’s willing to do whatever it takes. Anything that me and the family need, he’ll do.”

“We got to see the facilities…I’d never seen anything like it.” pic.twitter.com/VTFU34hNuk

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) July 31, 2026

Notably, the Mammoth have also convinced several highly talented free agents such as Nate Schmidt and Anders Lee amongst others to move to Salt Lake City over other enticing markets.

But what about the “big” free agents?

If it’s already a destination, why haven’t the Mammoth landed one despite being linked to so many?

It’s all about perspective.

Continuing into year six of a rebuild, Utah has remained committed to locking down their own rising stars such as Cooley and Guenther at bargain prices while adding complimentary pieces via trade (Sergachev, Weegar, Trocheck, & Cossa).

As Armstrong has stated many times before, he doesn’t want to “win the summer” just to “lose the winter.”

Thus far, the Mammoth have successfully avoided that trap by making calculated moves every offseason as they build towards eventual contention.

You also can’t belittle the extensions and additions they have made.

Signing Cooley and Guenther for eight years is just as important as the next “big” free agent.

Convincing Schmaltz to buy in keeps the culture intact.

Adding Lee and Schmidt provides experienced veteran leadership that will pay dividends in clutch moments.

None of these things happen without Utah creating an environment where players want to be.

So, while many still await that first “big” free agent signing, and it will eventually happen, the Mammoth have already done an incredible job turning Utah into a destination.