Shea Weber has already retired, just not officially, says Jonathan Drouin
Montreal Canadiens Captain Shea Weber is already out of the game, according to one of his teammates, even if he hasn't announced it yet.
Forward Jonathan Drouin said at a press briefing Tuesday that Weber, a top defenceman, is already working behind the scenes and has decided to hang up his skates for good.
In the summer, the Habs announced that Weber wouldn't play this season due to an injury.
Earlier on Tuesday, the team's official Twitter account posted a video of him wearing a suit and visiting teammates around the time of their morning skate, and ahead of their match with the Seattle Kraken that night.
"Papa!" said the caption on the video. Weber, 36, has played with the Habs for five years and has represented Canada in two Olympic games and other international forums.
In the press conference, Drouin said that Weber is now working "in the background" and helping the managers.
"He does scouting, he helps Marc (Bergevin)," Drouin said.
"He retired, basically... everyone knows that now. He's not coming back for us, he's moving on, and hockey, that's over."
When pressed on whether Weber had announced his retirement to teammates, Drouin said no, but added that "he did not tell us directly like that, but I think that we now know it, sort of. This is the reality."
Drouin's remarks took the team's staff by surprise. Spokesperson Paul Wilson told media that Weber is on the team's long-term injured list and that he has not retired.
Earlier this month, chief executive Marc Bergevin said Weber didn't undergo surgeries to treat his many injuries over the summer but added that he was still unable to return to training.
Weber has a long-term foot and ankle issue.
Bergevin said at the time that the #6 player will not be back in action this season. He also said there was little hope of seeing him in uniform again one day.
However, Bergevin said, his group is missing Weber's presence.
--With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.