Less than 24 hours after being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, former Canadiens captain Shea Weber bid farewell to Montreal fans in a letter released by the team.
Weber played five seasons with the Canadiens before being sidelined last winter due to an accumulation of injuries. It would be surprising if he eventually made a return to the game.
The Canadiens had acquired the services of Weber from the Nashville Predators on June 29, 2016 in return for PK Subban.
“Never, even in my wildest dreams, could I have imagined playing for the Montreal Canadiens, let alone being named captain of this team,” he wrote in his message. Donning this legendary jersey every night has been one of the greatest honors of my career, and it’s something I cherish every chance I get.
“I would like to thank my teammates, the coaches, the management, the entire organization, Geoff Molson and the Molson family, the Montreal media and, above all, the fans who welcomed my family and me, and who made this city a second home. »
“Montreal will always have a place in my heart. Thank you for everything,” he concluded.
The Canadiens traded Weber to the Golden Knights for forward Evgenii Dadonov on Thursday. The Habs therefore relieve themselves of the burden of managing Weber’s contract on the long-term injured list.
Weber was the 30th captain in the history of Sainte-Flanelle. The 36-year-old British Columbian has scored 58 goals and 146 points in 275 games with CH.
In 2020-21, Weber led the team to its first Stanley Cup Final since 1993.