By Jordan Long
The Montreal Canadians were the surprising team in the NHL playoffs. They ended the regular season with the least amount of points at 59 among all playoff teams. They shocked the hockey world by beating Toronto in the first round in 7 games, sweeping the Winnipeg Jets, and knocking off the Vegas Golden Knights in 6 games to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Unfortunately, their luck ran out as Tampa Bay beat them in 5 games. They will take the offseason to improve the team and make a run back to the Final but they will do it without team captain, defenseman Shea Weber.
Weber finished his 5th season with the Canadians. He was productive in the regular season with 6 goals and 13 assists for a total of 19 points from the blue line. When it came to the power play Weber fired it on the net or passed to a teammate for them to score. He had 4 goals and 7 assists on the power play.
In the postseason run for the Canadians, he scored 1 goal and added 5 assists for 6 points. It wasn’t his production on offense that helped Montreal advance, but his defense. He was able to block shots and knock a skater off the puck ending scoring chances for the opponents and letting the Canadians skate into the offensive zone. He was part of the reason Montreal advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993.
During the postseason run, Webber played through several injuries. Montrealgazette.com stated he played through a thumb injury but also ankle, foot, and knee problems. He will miss next year and it could be the end of his career.
According to ESPN Canadians’ General Manager Marc Bergevin said, “It was hard for Shea. That’s all he knows. He’s a hockey player to the core. It’s really hit hard to realize that he can no longer perform the way he’s expecting for him and for his teammates, and the pain he’s in going through daily.”
Weber might be better off calling it a career. He knows his body and these injuries he had are tough to heal from. Even if he plays, Weber will not be the same player. It may slow him down. He might not play at a high level like he use to.
Weber is 35 years old. He has played in the NHL for 11 years for Nashville and Montreal. In that span, he became a defenseman who had one of the hardest shots in the NHL. He scored 224 goals and added 365 assists for a total of 589 points. On the power play, he was the quarterback who set plays up and he fired the puck totaling 106 goals and 133 assists.
Weber was part of 11 playoff teams but this year was the only time his team advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. In 97 playoff games, Weber lit the lamp 18 times while assisting on 24 goals in the playoffs. He played well in the postseason. It was not his fault his teams failed to win a championship.
Weber should walk away from the game. He always played at a high level and the injuries he sustained showed it. Weber went to 7 All-Star Games and placed on the NHL All-First Team twice. There isn’t much left for him to do in the NHL as a player. The only goal left is to win ring but his health should be the number 1 priority. It is always possible for him to walk away and be part of a front office in the NHL. He could learn the business side of the NHL. Hopefully, Montreal will keep him and give Weber a front office role.
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