Sunrise, FL- The Florida Panthers announced on Tuesday that they have assigned defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to the Springfield Thunderbirds.

The call-up to Florida was the 23-year-old defenseman's first stint with the NHL club since being selected by the Panthers in the seventh round of the 2013 NHL Draft. 

Weegar returns to the Thunderbirds, where he has been having the best season of his pro career. The AHL All-Star classic representative has tallied 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 51 games with Springfield. He has already broken his single season career highs in goals and points. 

In a corresponding transaction, the Springfield Thunderbirds announced that they have returned forward Rihards Bukarts and defenseman Colton Saucerman to the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL.

The Thunderbirds embark on their final 3-in-3 of the season on Friday as they visit the Rochester Americans for a 7:05 p.m. ET puck drop.

Interested in being part of the next era of AHL hockey in Springfield? Springfield Thunderbirds 2017-18 Ticket Memberships start as low as $12 per game and feature the most exclusive benefits, including a commemorative jersey and brand new Collectors Mug. For more information, fans may call the Thunderbirds ticket office at (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.