Bergevin: Weber 'probably won't be back for his career'

Longtime Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber won't play next season and he "probably won't be back for his career," general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters on Thursday.

Bergevin confirmed the team's captain has been dealing with multiple injuries, including ankle, foot, knee, and thumb issues.

Weber, who turns 36 next month, missed time toward the end of the regular season with a thumb injury, but he returned to average 25:13 of ice time per game during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Bergevin notes he had an "emotional" conversation with Weber.

It was hard for Shea," he said. "I mean, that's all he knows. He's a hockey player to the core. He's been doing that all his life. It's really hit hard to realize that he can no longer perform the way he's expecting for him and his teammates in the pain he's going through daily."

Notorious for his higher-than-average pain tolerance, Weber has also previously dealt with a left foot issue. In February 2020 he was slated to miss four-to-six weeks because of the injury, but Weber returned just two weeks later.

The Nashville Predators' 49th overall pick in 2003 has played 1,038 NHL games while registering 589 points. He spent the first 11 seasons of his career in Nashville and the last five with the Canadiens, who will now be dealing with a gaping hole on their blue line.

I have a lot of respect for Shea," Bergevin said. It will be impossible to replace Shea Weber."

There are five years left on Weber's contract that carries an annual cap hit of $7.86 million.

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