With names such as Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry among those defencemen rumoured to be available from the Montreal Canadiens, there’s one perhaps forgotten name that is in the mix as well.
“A lot of the talk out of Montreal has been about defencemen who could be available, but there’s another one there too, and that is Shea Weber‘s contract,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said during the 32 Thoughts segment on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.
“Weber, of course, is likely not going to play in the National Hockey League ever again. He’s got four years left after this year, the cap hit is $7.9 million, but the cash is $6 million total. And I wouldn’t be surprised if some teams who need either long-term injury room or want to get to the cap floor and aren’t looking to spend a tonne in the next couple of years take a look at that Weber contract. It’s a possible move.”
Over the years, Weber’s punishing style has taken pieces out of opponents, but also himself. He has enormous pain tolerance, and, as teammates have readily admitted, will play through things others simply can’t.
Known for his hard playing style, Weber, 36, has long been dealing with several injury setbacks — particularly with his left foot/ankle. He’s also previously dealt with knee issues, undergoing surgery in July 2018 for a meniscal tear, and last season was plagued by a thumb injury that he played through in the post-season.
He hasn’t suited up for the Canadiens this year and former GM Marc Bergevin speculated last July that Weber likely would not play another NHL game.
In 16 NHL seasons, Weber played 1,038 games with Nashville and Montreal, scoring 224 goals and 365 assists for 589 points.
