Shea Weber: a year and a half of nightmares before retirement

It’s no secret that Shea Weber has been through a lot in his playing career. Despite serious injuries, he never backed down and took every measure to be able to play the games.

That’s the definition of a warrior, and rightly so, he’s received the ultimate call to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Since the end of the 2021 playoffs, we don’t often hear him speak, but he was kind enough to open up to Arpon Basu of The Athletic.

He talked about the end of his career and his terrible pain. Here’s the link to his text.

As Shea Weber spoke following his Hall of Fame induction about the pain, both physical and mental, after his playing days, one image entered my mind, and how both men in that image shared this reality.

This is a story about Weber, Carey Price, and pain: https://t.co/1X4qpS7ftR pic.twitter.com/0dxEjK0IVN

– Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) July 16, 2024

Weber recounts that a Jack Eichel shot in the first game in 2017-2018 and a cleaning of his knee were the cause of pain that persists to this day.

While his left foot was broken following Eichel’s shot, he continued to play, causing serious damage to the tendon. This eventually led to major surgery.

Cleaning of his right knee revealed more serious problems, which also necessitated a longer-than-expected convalescence.

The former Habs defenseman can’t train intensely with his knee and ankle. The slightest false move causes him a great deal of pain.

What’s even more shocking is that, a year and a half before the end of his career, his life was already a nightmare.

The schedule wasn’t ideal, but I wanted to try one last time. But that year, I couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t walk, I was in too much pain (…) The playoffs came (…) and it was a compilation of drugs to feel nothing. – Shea Weber

He concluded by saying that he had reached the end of the road, and said to himself.

This testimony shows just how much he sacrificed in his body to achieve his dream. He and Carey Price have carried the team through serious injuries.

Imagine if both had been even a little healthier…