On paper, Shea Weber is still the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. On paper, number 6 still remains an active player.
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But there is a difference between paperwork and reality. Weber hasn’t donned a CH uniform since losing in five games in the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay Lightning. He is unofficially retired except on the club and NHL books.
There would be financial repercussions for the Canadian, but even more for the Nashville Predators, in the event of an official retirement of the mountain man. In this strange context, Weber has chosen not to speak to the media and fans since the start of the season.
Absent for the Guy Lafleur tribute during the Boston Bruins’ visit to the Bell Center on Sunday, Weber received widespread criticism for his decision not to make the trip to Montreal, staying at his home in Kelowna, British Columbia.
However, he had a thought for the family of the Blond Demon.
“Shea offered his condolences to Martin Lafleur, one of Guy’s two sons,” said Canadiens vice-president of communications Chantal Machabée. He communicated by text message with a member of the organization in the hours following the announcement of the death, last Friday, in order to send a message to the family. »
A presence
Weber landed in the town of Maurice Richard on Thursday. Despite his presence on Quebec soil, he did not meet the media before the last game of the season against the Florida Panthers today. However, he was on the ice before the puck was dropped to a ceremony in honor of Pierre Gervais.
The captain could break the silence at the end-of-season review tomorrow, but there’s still no certainty on that. By October, Weber had reconnected with his teammates in Seattle. He also made a whirlwind visit to Montreal in November. In March, he once again found himself in the entourage of the team for a meeting in Vancouver. All three times he refused interviews.
His silence, however, is not just a personal choice. Marc Bergevin, earlier in the season, Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Geoff Molson are reluctant to expose him to questions. NHL leaders are watching this issue closely.
The Devils model
There was a very strong image during the funeral of Pat Burns on November 29, 2010 at the Marie-Reine-du-monde cathedral in Montreal. Lou Lamoriello, the Devils general manager at the time, had chartered a plane to get all the players and coaches on the team to the church.
For Lamoriello it was a way of showing that the New Jersey club stood by a member of the Burns family. And the Devils weren’t even playing in Montreal that night or the next day.
Asked whether the CH could imitate Lamoriello’s formula for the funeral of a monument like Lafleur, Martin St-Louis spoke of the importance of this event.
« Oui, [j’aimerais voir une image semblable], said the head coach. It’s important to be there, I think. It’s to show respect to Guy, his family and the organization of the Canadiens and hockey. I expect to see a lot of players. »
At the start of the game against the Panthers, the CH confirmed Weber’s presence for the state funeral this weekend and at Lafleur’s state funeral on Tuesday. The 36-year-old defender will also attend the team dinner on Sunday.
♦ Shea Weber will earn $3 million in the 2022-2023 season and $1 million for the following three seasons. On the salary cap, his footprint is $7.857 million. A team like the Arizona Coyotes, which is struggling to reach the salary floor, could benefit from acquiring such a contract in the coming months.