Weber: Milestone night, but focused on Vancouver

BROSSARD - There's one thing that would make the 1,000th game of Shea Weber's NHL career all the more memorable for the Canadiens' captain.

That's beating the Vancouver Canucks for a second straight night and earning another two points in the standings, of course, because team success matters most to the veteran defenseman. Personal milestones have always been secondary.
Weber isn't exactly sure what the Habs have in store to celebrate his latest accomplishment, but he doesn't plan on letting his emotions get the best of him.
That approach has served him well over the course of his 999 previous regular-season appearances between Nashville and Montreal since debuting with the Predators in January 2006, and he isn't changing his tune now.
"I don't really know what to expect, to be honest. It's tough. It's a special night, but at the same time, it's our second game of a back-to-back here and we're going to have a really hungry team after last night's game, so the main focus is that," insisted Weber, who met the media via Zoom on Tuesday morning from the Bell Sports Complex. "Whether it's a little 30-second piece or whatever, it's going to definitely be meaningful, but I can't really speak on what the feeling is going to be."

Make no mistake about it, though, the 35-year-old Sicamous, BC native certainly appreciates the magnitude of this achievement. Weber has come a long way since being drafted in the second round, 49th overall by the Predators in 2003 while still a member of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.
Reaching the mark clearly puts things into perspective.
"It's something that as a kid you dream of playing in the NHL and you think that it's going to come true and you imagine it. Realistically, you know it's a lot tougher than people realize and it's tough to do, so just making it here is really special," shared Weber, who just began his 16th NHL season and fifth with the Habs. "Making it this long and having a career with this many games is something that I never really imagined. I dreamed about it, but it's pretty surreal."

It goes without saying that Weber has made the most of his tenure in the top league in the world, currently leading all active defensemen with 220 goals, including 104 power play goals. He also ranks seventh among active blueliners with 576 points as well.
Tonight, he'll join Zdeno Chara (1,563), Ryan Suter (1,152), Duncan Keith (1,148), Brent Burns (1,121) and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (1,043) as the only rearguards with at least 1,000 NHL games on their resume still plying their trade for their respective teams.
Talk about outstanding company. Weber acknowledges, however, that getting to this point wasn't just a byproduct of his work ethic and commitment alone.
"There are tons of people. I can't say thanks enough to coaches, family, friends. There are so many people along the way. It's definitely not just a personal thing," stressed Weber. "There are strength coaches, therapists, hockey coaches, family members. Obviously my mom and dad were my biggest influence growing up. It's just a team effort."

The seven-time NHL All-Star spoke glowingly about his parents, James and Tracy, during his media availability, describing the key lesson he learned from both of them that ultimately shaped him both on and off the ice.
With that mind, it's no surprise that his business-like approach to practices and games alike has become his trademark.
"I think the biggest thing I learned from them was just hard work. Neither of them took a day off. They worked hard for me and my brother Brandon] to be able to play hockey. It wasn't easy, but they allowed us to do what we loved. Not only that, but they just gave us a good upbringing. I can't say enough," praised Weber, a father of three. "My dad would work all day, 10-hour shifts, come home and coach me or my brother or both. Kudos to them for taking care of us. Without them, I wouldn't be here and my brother wouldn't be where he is either."
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Weber credited his longevity to several of his former teammates, too, who showed him the finer points of being a professional.
Chief among them was former Canadian defenseman, Rick Berry, when they were both members of the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals during the 2005-06 campaign.
"He kind of helped me really get acclimated to pro life. I had numerous dinners at his place. We lived in the same building. There's a number of guys. Greg Zanon, Kevin Klein, we came up together there, and Ryan Suter. And then there are all the guys in Nashville - Timonen, Hamhuis, all the guys before me that kind of led the way," recalled Weber. "But I think the first initial help was Rick just kind of getting me settled in and figuring out the way to go in the pros."
'I'm not thinking about leaving a lasting legacy'**
Every player has highs and lows as their careers carry on, and Weber is no exception.
There have been injury woes with Montreal that cost him plenty of games, but he always battled his way back to be a catalyst on the back end.
And his passion for the sport is as strong as ever.
"The game itself, the love of the game. You grew up as a kid loving it. That's why you play it and that's why we still play it," replied Weber, when asked to share what has consistently given him the most joy since first lacing up his skates in Music City. "That's what it's all about, just coming to the rink, being with the guys and playing the sport you love the most."

Nevertheless, he'd still relish the chance to get his hands on hockey's top prize with this group and make some more history in the process.
"I'm not thinking about leaving a lasting legacy. My job is to be a good teammate to help the Montreal Canadiens win, and then whatever comes of that, comes with that. It's definitely not a focus to look at accolades or things like that," concluded Weber. "The biggest goal for us is to win, and I think everybody that has won knows how special it is, and those of us that haven't won yet, want a taste of that. That's our goal, that's my goal, and that's what we're trying to do here."