"You're losing your captain," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said before a 3-2 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks. "I can't tell you how disappointed I am, but at the same time we have to do something about what we have and we have to keep trying to [do to] win hockey games.
"It's going to demand a lot from a lot of players to step up and play their best hockey of the season for a lot of guys. And if we all do that, then we might be able to survive this."
The defenseman was injured in a 5-4 shootout win at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, Julien said. He played 24:50 and did not have a point. Weber, Montreal's captain, had 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) and was plus-8 in 55 games this season.
Xavier Ouellet was recalled from Laval of the American Hockey League. The defenseman had three assists in 19 games for the Canadiens last season and has 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 160 NHL games with Montreal and the Detroit Red Wings.
Weber led the Canadiens in average ice time and was 12th in the NHL at 24:18.
"He's our leader, he's a guy everyone looks up to, and not just on the ice, off the ice," Montreal forward Max Domi said. "But that being said, it's part of the game and we've got to find ways to make up for his absence. There's not going to be someone who can take his spot, but we have lots of guys here that can kind of step up, who savor the opportunity and are set for the challenge."
