Former Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber might be one of the best defensemen to lace up a pair of skates, but never win a Stanley Cup or Norris Trophy. He was nicknamed the man mountain, and not very many would like to come down his side of the ice, at 6’4″ and 230 lbs, Weber was a tough customer that commanded attention when on the ice.
Defensively he was adept at breaking up offensive plays against and clearing the front of the net, but his cannon of a shot was an attribute that stood out most.
Weber has a laundry list of victims that have been hit, and injured by his shot, the same shot that also ripped through the during Olympic play. Whatever you needed him to do, he did it, he excelled on the pk and pp, and he kept opponents honest. Ultimately the undoing of Weber’s career was playing through injury, en route to the Canadiens’ clash with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.
Weber and Chara formed the top two hardest shooters in the league for some time, taking turns winning the hardest shot event at the All-Star game. He was a versatile, well-rounded defenseman, and was able to control play with his strength, large frame and high defensive IQ. He never hoisted Lord Stanley, nor was he considered the best defenseman in the league throughout his career. He did impact the game in all three zones, and his importance to the team both in the Olympics and the NHL cannot be ignored.
NHL And International Play
Weber was a staple on the Predators’ blue line prior to being dealt to the Canadiens, and the number one defenseman on the Canadiens’ blue line up until his final game. He also captained both teams, both literally, and figuratively, as he would go through a wall for any of his teammates. If a big penalty kill or power play situation arose, it was a fair bet that if Weber was healthy, he would be on the ice.
You might not agree that he belongs in the Hockey Hall Of Fame, but you can’t deny the impact he made for his team, and how teams had to game plan for him. His presence alone was something every opponent was aware of, and the mammoth-sized defenseman’s play earned him the respect of all of his opponents. I would argue that there is a better chance than not, that he ends up becoming an Hockey Hall Of Famer.
His career spanned 17 seasons and over the span of 1,038 games, Weber compiled 224-365-598 point totals. He hasn’t played since 2020-21, but prior to that, he wore either an “A” or “C” on his jersey for 12 of those seasons.
International Play
For team Canada, Weber patrolled the blue line on six separate occasions. He started his international play during the U20 World Junior Championships in ’04-’05, playing 10 games resulting in a gold medal. And he wrapped up his international play with a gold medal at the World Cup Of Hockey in ’16-’17. Over 39 games internationally, he compiled 10-16-26 point totals, but the measurement of his impact should not be limited to his offensive output.
While Weber was destroying nets, he was also racking up the accolades. He compiled many distinctions, including World Championship best defenseman, World Championship most assists by a defenseman (6), World Championship most points by a defenseman (12), and World Championship top-three player on his team. That was just during one tournament, which was his first as an NHLer in 2008-2009.
He has won a gold medal -yes it’s a team award- at each tournament he has participated in, but one, the ’08-’09 when he and team Canada won a silver medal. He finished his career with three gold medals and one silver.
Weber was a consummate winner and would put his team on his back if given the opportunity. He shot the puck through players and ran through opponents like a Mac truck, and he played until the last moment he could, going out after playing his final game in the Stanley Cup finals.
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