Montreal Canadiens: Shea Weber Continues to Outperform P.K. Subban
Montreal Canadiens Defensemen Shea Weber is continuing to outplay Defensemen P.K. Subban which means the Habs are continuing to win the off-season’s biggest trade.
This past off-season Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin pulled off one of the biggest trades in team history. Bergevin acquired robust Defensemen Shea Weber who was considered to be one of the league’s top defenders. Marc Bergevin traded away P.K. Subban who was the fan favorite who has previously won a Norris Trophy as the leagues top defender.
This trade will continue to be scrutinized and debated all season long and in the years to come. However, Shea Weber has definitely outplayed Subban during the beginning of the season. Weber has also provided the Canadiens strong leadership and a tough physical presence.
The Canadiens wanted Shea Weber to bring tough defensive play, and be able to carry the load in ice time. The Habs also wanted Weber to use that famously hard slap shot to improve the Canadiens struggling Power Play from last season. So far Shea Weber has been everything expected of when Bergevin acquired him.
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Weber’s Power Play Performance
Currently, Weber leads the Habs with seven Power Play points and that includes his six Power Play goals. The Canadiens are constantly looking to get Shea the puck because of his deadly slap shot.
The Montreal Canadiens Power Play numbers have improved compared to last season stats as well. The Habs Power Play was ranked 25th last season, as they scored on 16.2 percent of their opportunities. This year the Habs Power Play currently ranks seventh overall and is scoring on 22.9 percent of their opportunities.
The blame for the Montreal Canadiens struggling Power Play last season shouldn’t be placed on Subban alone. However, there is a big difference between Weber and Subban in terms of their style.
Subban would hesitate when being passed to and seemed to lack confidence in the passes he was given. P.K. also has a huge wind up before he release’s his slap shot. This creates extra time for defenders to get in position to block Subban’s shot.
Weber doesn’t have these issues at all. When Weber gets into position for a one timer, he eagerly wants to shoot the puck. Shea also has a quicker wind up on his shot than Subban and Weber generates a lot more power on his shots than Subban.
Weber’s Physicality and Sound Defensive Play
Weber has also brought a ton of physicality to the Canadiens defense corps. He is currently second on the Habs in hits as he has registered 40 so far. Weber has also been paired with Alexei Emelin and this duo has formed a physically pairing the Canadiens have lacked for years.
Shea Weber has also been a steady workhorse for the Habs as he is averaging over 25 minutes per game. When Weber is on the ice he generally plays against the top offensive lines and Shea has been excellent in that role. Shea is currently a plus 16 which is leading the league in that category.
P.K was a great defensive player in Montreal but not on the same level that Weber is able to. Subban also has an element of physicality to his game, but doesn’t make the same amount of big hits that Weber makes. Too often last season Subban would take himself out of a play just to make a big hit.
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Final Thoughts
The big trade will be scrutinized for many years to come because of the two elite players involved in the deal. However, the Canadiens have improved significantly with Weber, and without Subban.