Former Canadien Shea Weber had a pain threshold worthy of Hall of Fame

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Former Canadiens captain Shea Weber is happy to be within the Hockey Corridor of Fame, however needs he was nonetheless taking part in as a substitute.

If he might flip again time to the beginning of the 2017-18 NHL season and make a unique choice, the 39-year-old would possibly nonetheless be taking part in with the Canadiens.

Weber fractured his left foot when he was hit by a shot throughout the first recreation of the 2017-18 season in Buffalo. He stored taking part in for 15 video games after that earlier than lacking one recreation with an unrelated damage. Weber then performed 4 extra video games on the fractured foot earlier than lacking six video games whereas it was put in a strolling boot within the hope it could heal. After the boot got here off, Weber performed six extra video games earlier than being shut down after the Canadiens misplaced 3-0 to the Senators in Ottawa within the out of doors NHL 100 Traditional on Dec. 16. Weber logged 22:58 of ice time in that recreation.

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The following month, after an MRI, it was found by a health care provider advisable by the NHLPA that by taking part in on the damaged foot Weber had broken two tendons in his left ankle that may require surgical procedure. After the surgical procedure on his foot, Weber went in for what was presupposed to be minor surgical procedure on his proper knee, however medical doctors found he had a torn meniscus. He ended up lacking the final 56 video games of the 2017-18 season and the primary 24 video games of the 2018-19 season.

The accidents simply stored piling up for Weber after that.

When the Canadiens superior to the Stanley Cup last in 2021 earlier than shedding to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Weber performed with a torn UCL in his thumb, a torn ankle tendon, a meniscus ligament damage in his knee, after which he tore his groin within the semifinal sequence towards the Vegas Golden Knights. Weber performed in all 22 playoff video games that season and averaged 25:13 of ice time.

Exceptional.

The Canadiens honoured Weber earlier than Saturday night time’s 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was inducted into the Ring of Honour on the Bell Centre, becoming a member of the opposite Canadiens Corridor of Famers.

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Weber by no means actually spoke concerning the ache he performed via throughout the 2021 playoff run till he met with the media in Toronto forward of his Corridor of Fame induction final Monday night time in Toronto. He did so reluctantly.

“That was a troublesome one for me as a result of I clearly stated all that stuff final week, and it was like the very last thing I would like is for individuals to really feel dangerous for me,” Weber stated when he met with the media earlier than Saturday’s recreation. “I didn’t say that as a result of I would like you guys to really feel dangerous for me taking part in via all that. I used to be form of irritated on the query once more and form of went via all of the issues I had.”

All these issues began with that damaged foot.

In hindsight, does Weber want he had instantly taken day off to let the foot heal again in 2017?

“That’s one factor that I suppose we’ll by no means know, proper?” he stated. “We obtained that checked out sooner, possibly you are taking your two weeks off, three weeks off there after which it’s not six months, it’s not the subsequent yr, after which hopefully I might nonetheless be taking part in now. However that’s a troublesome one. … Being in it and eager to play. It’s a kind of issues. In hindsight, it in all probability would have been lots smarter simply to take two weeks off. However from what we obtained within the X-ray on the rink, it confirmed nothing. So I simply stated let’s take care of it, I suppose.”

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Weber’s taking part in profession got here to an finish after that 2021 playoff run due to all of the accidents, and the Canadiens traded his contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in the summertime of 2022. A yr later, his contract was traded to the Arizona Coyotes (now the Utah Hockey Membership). There’s nonetheless yet another season after this left on Weber’s 14-year, US$110-million contract, which has an annual salary-cap hit of US$7.857 million. Nevertheless, he’s solely incomes US$1 million this season and subsequent season on the closely front-loaded deal whereas being on long-term injured reserve, that means his contract doesn’t rely towards Utah’s wage cap.

Weber wish to keep in hockey in participant growth after his contract expires and stated he has had some talks with the Utah workforce, including nothing is imminent. He misses taking part in hockey, however with three younger kids is preserving busy teaching youth groups again house in Kelowna, B.C.

“I miss being on the ice,” he stated. “I might skate on the ice day-after-day simply messing round.”

Weber’s physique nonetheless feels the ache of his 16 seasons within the NHL, however he’s not complaining.

“Hockey has given me a lot to be glad about,” he stated. “I laid all of it out. … I did no matter it took, particularly throughout that (2021 playoff) run as a result of we have been so shut and it was attending to that time the place you’re keen to actually not have the ability to stroll to assist the workforce.”

scowan@postmedia.com

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