Player Discussion Shea Weber - [mod warning post #26)]

[SquiddFX]

The issue is the GM thinking this was a fair value trade when one player has another level and the other doesn't.

I mean, wow.

Weber is a great hockey player, and that will never be disputed by me. He's just not good enough to elevate this team.

But that is exactly what Bergevin made the trade for. He wanted a more structured player compared to PK's freebird style of hockey. Was it a good trade? Not in my opinion. But it's one of the reasons MB did it. Also why he viewed it as a great trade.

 

[Price is Wright]

Here's the possible problem coming up with Shea Weber.

Weber is currently averaging the third most minutes amongst defencemen. His offensive numbers are bad for the Top 10 in that department, but so are Brent Burns. Things can change.

The bigger issue is that Weber's offensive stats have been on decline. Going 51 points in 15-16 to 42 in 16-17 doesn't sound that bad until you break down 2017 by month.

October: 10 points in 9 games
November: 8 points in 14 games
December: 3 points in 14 games
January: 10 points in 14 games
February: 6 points in 13 games
March: 5 points in 13 games

18 of the 42 points in came in October/November. 20 of the 42 points came in October/February. December/February/March was a combined 14 points in 40 games.

There's a very good chance he doesn't hit the 42 in 78 he had last season, and he's in the 30 point range. 26 minutes per game and the top defenceman is only putting up 30ish points. That's cause for concern.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Here's the possible problem coming up with Shea Weber.

Weber is currently averaging the third most minutes amongst defencemen. His offensive numbers are bad for the Top 10 in that department, but so are Brent Burns. Things can change.

The bigger issue is that Weber's offensive stats have been on decline. Going 51 points in 15-16 to 42 in 16-17 doesn't sound that bad until you break down 2017 by month.

October: 10 points in 9 games
November: 8 points in 14 games
December: 3 points in 14 games
January: 10 points in 14 games
February: 6 points in 13 games
March: 5 points in 13 games

18 of the 42 points in came in October/November. 20 of the 42 points came in October/February. December/February/March was a combined 14 points in 40 games.

There's a very good chance he doesn't hit the 42 in 78 he had last season, and he's in the 30 point range. 26 minutes per game and the top defenceman is only putting up 30ish points. That's cause for concern.

Interestingly enough, 17 of his points involved Radulov and 8 involved Markov, with no overlap between Radulov and Markov. Galchenyuk was often involved with Radulov when Weber accumulated a point as well.

Mete's a fine prospect and all, but it'll be a while before he's Markov, if he even reaches that point. Who's going to be our Radulov this season? Strictly speaking, none of our RWs had his level of talent. It could be Drouin talent-wise, but that remains to be seen.

 

[Habs100]

so glad we have alzner for the next 5 years.

 

[Galchenioretty]

Can't wait till he can finally put the deserved C on his chest. What a fantastic f***ing player! Right in the prime of his career, too. Thank God he's signed till 2026!

 

[CristianoRonaldo]

Can't wait till he can finally put the deserved C on his chest. What a fantastic ****ing player! Right in the prime of his career, too. Thank God he's signed till 2026!

This !

We should give him another 70 years contract ! He's that great !

 

[Roke]

"There are players who get you into the playoffs and players who get you through the playoffs."

Looks like Weber's massive leadership won't even get us there this season.

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

On Sportsnet last night, they had a graphic comparing our top players' disastrous first seven games to last year's.

Interestingly, Weber wasn't featured amongst the list of 6-8 players. Which got me thinking: are these anti-intellectuals finally admitting that Weber just isn't that good? Probably not. They lack the critical thinking and humility to come around to the truth.

Which led to a more interesting thought: why is the media not even mentioning Weber's poor play so far this season?

If Subban was still a Hab and had only 2 points and a -3 in 7 games during this pathetic start, would the media protect him the way they are protecting Weber? Every single one of our supposedly "top" players, including even Price is being criticized by the media for their awful play, except for good ol' Weber. Why?

Wasn't he supposed to make this team infinitely better defensively? Wasn't he supposed to make this team tougher to play against? Wasn't he supposed to make Price's job easier? Wasn't he supposed to make Pacioretty a better leader? Wasn't he supposed to improve our power-play? Wasn't he supposed to make this team a Stanley Cup contender?

Instead, this team is now a lottery contender. And nobody in the media seems willing to call out Weber and that awful trade as the catalyst for much of our problems today.

The sad thing is, I don't even blame Weber too much. I genuinely do not expect much more from him. He's just not that good. He's too dependant on others to produce goals. He needs great playmakers to give him great one-timers to score goals. He needs great skating defensive partners to cover his less than impressive skating ability.

I blame the hockey media's anti-intellectual take on what makes defencemen good. I blame their idiotic preference over "intangibles" and "character" over talent and skill. I blame our idiotic GM for not asking himself why Weber's GM was so willing to trade his captain for a player with "character" issues.

thank you.

 

[ahmedou]

It looks like Shea has read the comments on this topic (Subban gets out of this body )

 

[Habs Halifax]

Weber is a goal scoring beast! Glad we have him.

 

[Genesis76]

"There are players who get you into the playoffs and players who get you through the playoffs."

Looks like Weber's massive leadership won't even get us there this season.

There's players who get you the 1st pick overall too.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Dude is still as good as ever. Couple of bad luck bounces off him mean nothing going forward, it happens. He's that guy who everyone else on the ice knows is just better, even if the fans don't.

 

[waffledave]

He has never really been bad at any point this season, just steady. But today he was really good. This is how he needs to play most nights. He can do it, if he's willing to push himself. It would make him unquestionably a top 5 dman, almost Pronger territory.

That's the only problem. We need him to be that guy. That would make the trade worth it. I just don't know if he has the energy or desire to do that at this point in his career.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

He has never really been bad at any point this season, just steady. But today he was really good. This is how he needs to play most nights. He can do it, if he's willing to push himself. It would make him unquestionably a top 5 dman, almost Pronger territory.

That's the only problem. We need him to be that guy. That would make the trade worth it. I just don't know if he has the energy or desire to do that at this point in his career.

The biggest thing Weber needs is for this PP to sort itself out. Weber can score 20+ fairly easily if the PP system is working. A shutdown D who can score 20+, dominate physically, and brings sublime leadership is a pretty rare player.

 

[waffledave]

The biggest thing Weber needs is for this PP to sort itself out. Weber can score 20+ fairly easily if the PP system is working. A shutdown D who can score 20+, dominate physically, and brings sublime leadership is a pretty rare player.

He needs to do that and do it when it's most important and needed. Like tonight.

 

[Prettyisland]

He was a noticable force tonight. Hope to see a long stretch of this play

 

[Fazkovsky]

Drouin would be a good set up man for him he is sneaky and unpredictable which can help set him up

Pac should play on left side and galchenyuk right side on the po

Julien needs to wake the f up

 

[Frank Drebin]

Seems he scores often against the James Reimer types. Don't suppose anyone would be willing to look up his goals from last year and who they were against?

It's not a bash against the guy, just something I've noticed.

 

[jaffy27]

Seems he scores often against the James Reimer types. Don't suppose anyone would be willing to look up his goals from last year and who they were against?

It's not a bash against the guy, just something I've noticed.

Oh FFS.....

 

[Frank Drebin]

Oh FFS.....

10-20 Domingue
10-24 Mason
10-26 - Greiss
10-29 - Andersen
11-08 - Zane McIntyre
11-12 - Howard
11-13 - Crawford
11-22 - Anderson
12-28 - Vasilevski
01-03 - Rinne
01-20 - Kinkaid
01-26 - Greiss
02-11 - Allen
02-21 - Lundqvist
03-04 - Lundqvist
03-14 - Crawford
03-25 - Anderson

Looks like I was wrong. Most were against starters.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Great game by Weber last night, I just find he's the perfect partner for Mete to allow him use his skillset the best - he's always back to cover if Mete wants to jump up and in the defensive zone Weber's size helps down low and in front of the net.

Hopefully the other 2 pairs can give us solid minutes in the future, around 23-24 minutes for Weber is perfect. Playing over 27 minutes is too much at this point in the year.

 

[ECWHSWI]

The biggest thing Weber needs is for this PP to sort itself out. Weber can score 20+ fairly easily if the PP system is working. A shutdown D who can score 20+, dominate physically, and brings sublime leadership is a pretty rare player.

not impressed by it since he joined the Habs.

 

[DangerDave]

He has never really been bad at any point this season, just steady. But today he was really good. This is how he needs to play most nights. He can do it, if he's willing to push himself. It would make him unquestionably a top 5 dman, almost Pronger territory.

That's the only problem. We need him to be that guy. That would make the trade worth it. I just don't know if he has the energy or desire to do that at this point in his career.

Agreed. When he plays like he did last night, he looks like he could be the best dman in the league. He's been fine this year too. Don't understand why some can't see the value of a guy who plays a steady 25 minutes a night.

10-20 Domingue
10-24 Mason
10-26 - Greiss
10-29 - Andersen
11-08 - Zane McIntyre
11-12 - Howard
11-13 - Crawford
11-22 - Anderson
12-28 - Vasilevski
01-03 - Rinne
01-20 - Kinkaid
01-26 - Greiss
02-11 - Allen
02-21 - Lundqvist
03-04 - Lundqvist
03-14 - Crawford
03-25 - Anderson

Looks like I was wrong. Most were against starters.

It really doesn't matter who's in net when Weber tees it up. All the goalie can really do is get in position and hope that Weber doesn't pick a corner . It's not possible to see the puck and react in time when he gets a hold of it within the blue line. I guess larger goalies will fare a little better against him

 

[jaffy27]

This !

We should give him another 70 years contract ! He's that great !

Can't, max is 8

 

[jaffy27]

not impressed by it since he joined the Habs.

Of course you're not........

as a matter of fact, I'm ready to bet the farm that you're impressed with nothing Montreal Canadiens.