Calgary Flames blueliner Joel Hanley is savouring the opportunity of a lifetime as a regular, top-four defenceman in the NHL a decade after he first entered the league.

The undrafted Hanley, 33, is suiting up regularly for the Flames alongside veteran MacKenzie Weegar, who was considered for Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off squad. The duo first played together in a Dec. 14 game against the Florida Panthers.

The two have quietly controlled shot shares and scoring chances when together while forming an effective second defence pairing behind Rasmus Andersson and Kevin Bahl. In nearly 110 minutes at five-on-five together, Weegar and Hanley have been on the ice for seven goals for and two goals against and a scoring chance rate of 63 per cent.

Hanley has become a regular, in part, due to Daniil Miromanov’s struggles and the Flames saying they want Weegar to play his stronger (right) side. While he doesn’t have any points so far this season, Hanley is providing steady, safe play and Weegar's numbers in areas like expected goals and scoring chance rate have improved with his new partner.

“He was up for Team Canada, so it’s a pretty special deal to play with somebody like that,” Hanley said of Weegar. “He’s been great off the ice, too.”

Weegar and head coach Ryan Huska both used the word "simple"........

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