Shea Weber

Shea Weber (born August 14, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently plays for, and is captain of, the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Personal Life
Weber was born in Sicamous, British Columbia.

His mother, Tracy, was a hairdresser, while his father, James, was a sawmill worker.

His brother, Brandon, who is two years younger than him, grew up playing hockey with Shea's former teammate, Cody Franson.

Between the ages of fourteen and fifteen, Weber grew 5 inches, from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-2.

Weber's mother was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 15. She had surgery which mostly removed it. She later began suffering from similar symptoms, then began having a series of seizures in early 2010. She was then placed in an induced coma and passed away on August 11, 2010.

Career
Weber began playing organized hockey at the age of six.

While growing up, he played in the Sicamous and District Hockey Association, a division of the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association. He often switched between forward and defense positions. During his second year of bantam, he permanently switched to playing defense. He credits his father for the decision, saying his father told him he thought Weber would "have a better shot at a pro career as a defenseman".

Junior Hockey
Weber was not selected during his WHL Bantam Draft year, but was picked up by the Kelowna Rockets and placed on their protected players list during his second season of bantam.

Once the season ended, he was moved up to play Junior "B" ice hockey for hometown team, the Sicamous Eagles in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). Weber recorded 42 points in 47 games, helping his team acheive a near perfect season, ending it with 43-5-1-1, and winning both the British Columbian Cyclone Taylor Cup KIJHL League Championship and the Western Canadian Keystone Cup. While playing the Keystone Cup Championship game, Weber scored his team's first goal, and they went on to win 2-1 over the Spruce Grove Regals.

The following season, Weber began playing his rookie season with the Kelowna Rockets. Early in the season, he had already established a very physical presence, fighting opposing players often. He earned 167 penalty minutes during that season, which is the most in his entire playing career.

Offensively, Weber ended his rookie regular season with 18 points in 70 games. He scored 5 points during 19 playoff games, which ended in the Rockets winning the franchise's first Ed Chynoweth Cup, defeating the Red Deer Rebels. The Rockets went on to represent the WHL at the 2003 Memorial Cup Championship. They were defeated by the Hull Olympiques in the semifinal game, 2-1.

As his rookie WHL season came to a close, Weber was eligible to be drafted into the NHL at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

On June 21, 2003, Weber was drafted 49th overall, during the second round, by the Nashville Predators.

During his second season with the Rockets, Weber was named to the WHL's roster for the 2004 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. In the two games played, he recorded a single assist.

As the regular season came to a close, Weber's offensive statistics had improved from his previous season. He recorded 32 points in 60 games.

He was named the WHL Player of the Week for April 6-12, 2004, after recording one goal and six assists in four wins for the Rockets over the Tri-City Americans. The Rockets eliminated Tri-City four games to two in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Weber finished the playoffs with 17 points in 17 games. The Rockets were eliminated by the Everett Silvertips, four games to three, in the Western Conference Finals.

Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, the Rockets advanced to their second Memorial Cup. At the 2004 Memorial Cup, Weber was named to the tournament's All-Star team after earning 4 points in 4 games. The Rockets defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 2-1 to win their first Memorial Cup.

As the season ended, Weber was named to the WHL Western Conference's second All-Star team.

His final season with the Rockets was his best, despite being hurt late in the season. On March 5, 2005, he collided with Cam Cunning of the Vancouver Giants, injuring his left knee. In injury caused him to miss the remainder of the regular season, along with with the Rockets' Western Conference Quarterfinals series against the Vancouver Giants. Despite being injured, Weber finished the regular season with career bests in goals (12), assists (29), and points (41) in only 55 games.

Upon returning from his injury, Weber scored 9 goals and recorded 17 points, in 18 playoff games. The Rockets won the Ed Chynoweth Cup en route to a third consecutive Memorial Cup Championship. For his astonishing gameplay, he was awarded the airBC Trophy as the MVP of the WHL playoffs.

During the 2005 Memorial Cup, which was considered to have one of the best tournament fields in Memorial Cup history, the Rockets were eliminated after losing all three games.

At the completion of the season, Weber was named to the first All-Star team in the WHL Western Conference. He was also the Western Conference nominee for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy as the top defenseman in the WHL. He ultimately lost to Dion Phaneuf. He was then named to the Canadian Major Junior second All-Star team.

Nashville Predators
On September 10, 2004, Weber signed a three-year, $1.425 million dollar entry level contract with the Predators.

A year and a half later, on January 6, 2006, he made his NHL debut, versus the Detroit Red Wings, recording three shots on goal within 11:08 minutes of ice time.

On April 6, 2006, he scored his first NHL goal against Reinhard Divis of the St. Louis Blues in a 3-0 Nashville shutout victory.

Weber went on to play in 28 games with the Predators during his rookie season, recording two goals and ten assists. He scored two goals in four playoff games against the San Jose Sharks before the Predators were eliminated in the first round.

Weber was reassigned to Nashville's AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, who were still in playoff action. He went on to compile six goals and five assists in fourteen games. The Admirals finished second in the Calder Cup, losing to the Hershey Bears in six games during the Calder Cup Finals.

Once he returned to Nashville for his second season, Weber became one of the Predators' most important players. Midway through the season, he had already recorded 26 points. His gameplay was noticed, and on January 14, 2007, he was named to the Western Conference roster for the 2007 NHL YoungStars Game.

Weber went on to finish the season, totaling 40 points, and finishing in eighth place within the Predators' roster in total points. He earned an additional three assists during five playoff games before the Predators were eliminated once again by the San Jose Sharks.

Weber's third season with the Predators began with a plague of injuries. After only 2:19 minutes on the ice during the first period of Nashville's Home Opener against the Colorado Avalanche, he fell awkwardly, dislocating his kneecap. The injury benched him for six weeks, but he finally returned to Nashville's lineup on November 17, 2007, versus the St. Louis Blues. Shortly after, he was benched once more after injuring his leg, missing eleven more games before returning on January 15, 2008, against the Calgary Flames.

Weber finished his third season with 20 points in 54 games.

On June 23, 2008, Weber signed a three-year, $13.5 million dollar extension contract with the Predators.

During his first year of his new extension, he established himself as a top NHL defenseman. Mid-point in the season, he was among the top defenseman statistical leaders, also considered a favorite to win the Norris Trophy.

He was named to the Western Conference roster for the 57th National Hockey League All-Star Game in Montreal, Quebec.

Weber finished his season with career highs, including goals (23), assists (30), points (53), games played (81), and penalty minutes (80). His 23 goals set a new Predators franchise record for goals by a defenseman in a single season.

Upon entering his fifth season with the Predators, Weber continued to astound. By the February Olympic break, Weber had recorded 35 points in 59 games with the Predators. He had established a strong leadership role, along with showing a willingness to defend his teammates, highlighted by a series of three consecutive games in March of 2010, in which he fought opposing players.

After returning to Nashville from the Olympic break, his offensive play slowed, finishing the season with 43 points in 78 games. Despite his decrease in offense, he was a Norris Trophy nominee for the third consecutive year.

On July 8, 2010, Weber was named as the Nashville Predators' fifth captain in franchise history. He replaced Jason Arnott, who had been traded to the New Jersey Devils. He was the youngest captain in the team's history, also becoming the Predators' only captain to have been drafted by the team.

On January 11, 2011, Weber, along with 41 other players, were named to the 58th National Hockey League All-Star Game. For the first time in its history, the NHL used a fantasy draft format to select teams for the All-Star Game. Weber was selected eighth overall and was placed on Team Lidstrom.

During the game, Weber recorded four assists, finishing with a +6.

Shortly after the All-Star Game, Weber recorded his 200th career NHL point, in the form of an assist, in a game against the Red Wings on February 9, 2011.

During his sixth season with the Predators, Weber averaged 25:16 in ice time, also setting career highs in games played (82), assists (32), and shots on goal (25). He contributed three goals and five points in twelve playoff games, though the Predators lost to the Vancouver Canucks after advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time in franchise history.

On July 1, 2011, Weber became an restricted free agent, but despite this, his stated he wanted to remain with the Predators. In order to prevent other teams signing him to an offer sheet, the Predators filed for salary arbitration with Weber, giving the team and Weber until their arbitration hearing to discuss a new contract. After failing to come to an agreement on a new contract by their hearing, Weber's case went on to arbitration on August 2, 2011. The following day, he was awarded a one-year, $7.5 million dollar contract which the Predators agreed to.

During the first month of the 2011 - 2012 season, Weber hit forward, Jannik Hansen, from behind in a game against the Canucks on October 20, 2011. Hansen was uninjured, but Weber was fined $2,500 dollars, which is the maximum allowable financial penalty, by the league the following day.

Career Statistics
(GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points, PIM = Penalites in Minutes, " - " = None)