Shea Weber
, HHOF Images/Ward Benjamin
Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters Thursday that he is not expecting defenceman Shea Weber to play next season.
Bergevin added that Weber's playing career might be over as multiple reports indicate he is dealing with knee, ankle and thumb injuries.
Asked how bad Weber was injured during the postseason, Bergevin said he was amazed the defenceman was able to play.
“I was amazed at how he played. He was one of our top players. I wasn’t aware (of the severity of Weber’s injuries)… Shea is a man of few words and isn’t the type to complain about the pain of his injuries.”
“It’s hard for Shea. That’s all he knows. He’s a hockey player to his core… We had an emotional, deep conversation. It will be impossible to replace Shea Weber," Bergevin said.
"Nothing alarming at the moment. He played all the minutes in the playoffs and played very well. He had some bumps over the two months, but he's seeing doctors (in New York today). We're not expecting anything major, but we'll see once they look closely. Perhaps 6-8 weeks”, adding there’s a “small possibility it will be longer," Bergevin said.
Bergevin noted that Price did get banged up while starting all 22 games during the playoffs as the Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He appeared in 25 games during the regular season for the Canadiens and posted a 12-7-5 record with a 2.64 GAA.
Drouin Expected at Camp
Meanwhile, Bergevin also told reporters that he expects forward Jonathan Drouin to be with the team to open training camp next season.
"[Head coach Dominique Ducharme and I] met with [Drouin] on Tuesday. Jo feels great, he's focused and ready to go. Expect him to be in Montreal for the first day of camp," Bergevin said Thursday.