MONTREAL – Shea Weber was on the golf course when he learned he would be immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. Needless to say, he didn’t tee off on the hole he was at, taking some time to process the news and soak in the moment.
Weber addressed the media via Zoom on Thursday to react to the honor. Here are some excerpts from his virtual press conference:
Please note that some answers have been modified for clarity and conciseness.
Weber on his initial reaction upon learning the news:
I'm still in shock. I'm getting messages and I can't believe it. I had no idea anything was coming. I got the call in the middle of a golf game and it was just disbelief. I kind of just dropped on a knee and... it's crazy. Just looking at the players before me, the guys and girls I'm going in with. I’m in disbelief, and it’s definitely a huge honor.
Weber on his impressions of Nick Suzuki as a player, leader, and person:
He was such a good young kid and he was thrown into a leadership role, as a captain, as a very young kid. It's a cool thing to watch as those guys grow – their games speak for themselves on the ice – in terms of their leadership skills away from the way they play.
He's such a pro. You guys know the way he takes care of himself, the way he's committed to the game, to his development, to his teammates. I think it was definitely the right pick, and he's just going to keep growing in that role.
Weber on the possibility of seeing his photo as part of the array featuring Hall of Fame members of the organization in the Canadiens locker room:
It's hard to believe. You go in that room and you look at all those pictures, all the Stanley Cups and the history of Montreal. It's an aura. It's a weird feeling and especially now, if it is a possibility or if it does happen, I don't even know. I'll go walking in there, for sure, to take a look at that.
Weber on whether he thinks goaltender Carey Price will get the call to the Hall of Fame:
Oh for sure, without a doubt in my mind. He's going in. I don't know when that time is; I don't know how it all works. He's a guy that, for me, is for sure going in there, no question about it.
Weber on processing the shock of getting traded from the team that drafted him, where he played for 11 years, and joining the Canadiens:
On the other side of that [shock], there's excitement. The place – you know the history and the aura of the team. I think once that shock kind of settled, then came the excitement. You start talking to guys on the team. Then you get into the city, see how great it is and adapt to the change. The passion is unbelievable. The fans are so into it. I always tell guys that have never played in a Canadian market: “You guys have to play one year in Montreal just to see how much the fans care, how much they love you. It's an unbelievable place to play.”
