Skip to content

B.C.-born Shea Weber to captain Montreal Canadiens

Sicamous native will wear the ‘C’ for the 2018/19 campaign
13778977_web1_160701-EVN-Shea-Weber-Canada-Day
Shea Weber poses for a photo with a fan at the 2016 Canada Day celebrations in Sicamous.(File photo)

Sicamous native Shea Weber is getting a ‘C’ stitched onto his Montreal Canadiens jersey.

The 33-year-old defenceman was an alternate captain with the NHL club for his first two seasons in Montreal after being traded from the Nashville Predators in 2016.

Weber replaces former captain Max Pacioretty, who was traded to the Las Vegas Golden Knights over the summer. Weber’s alternate captains will be Paul Byron and Brendan Gallagher, who joined a chorus of their fellow teammates in praising management’s decision on the new captain.

“I’m happy for him. He was my choice. He’s the best guy I’ve played with. He’s a very good leader. The list is so long to describe everything that he represents,” Byron said.

Related:Shea Weber out for the season

“A lot of guys in the room call him ‘Dad,’ for what he can bring and what he represents for this team. There’s no doubt that he was the logical choice,” Gallagher added.

Weber is the 25th Canadian-born player to captain the Habs, but every captain since Vincent Damphousse who wore the ‘C’ in the late ‘90s has been born elsewhere.

“It’s truly an honour to be named the Montreal Canadiens’ captain. It’s a special day for me and I’m excited to be part of the tradition and history going forward and I look forward to getting back,” Weber said in a video published to the Canadiens’ Twitter account.

Weber will be wearing the ‘C’ as the Canadiens take to the ice for their first regular season game in Toronto on Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. Eastern time.


@SalmonArm
jim.elliot@saobserver.net

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Jim Elliot

About the Author: Jim Elliot

I’m a B.C. transplant here in Whitehorse at The News telling stories about the Yukon's people, environment, and culture.
Read more