MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens announced on Monday that defenseman Shea Weber has been appointed the 30th captain in franchise history. The decision was made by the club's hockey management. Weber is preparing for his 14th NHL season in 2018-19, his third with the Canadiens. He was an alternate captain in his first two seasons with Montreal.

The native of Sicamous, British Columbia, is the 25th Canadian-born player to captain the Canadiens, and the first since Vincent Damphousse (1996 - 1999). Weber is also the first defenseman since Chris Chelios (co-captain with Guy Carbonneau in 1989-90) to assume the team's captaincy, the 11th in team history.

Since making his debut in the NHL in 2005-06 with the Nashville Predators, Weber has recorded 189 goals in 867 games. He enjoyed three 20-plus goal seasons, including a personal-high 23 goals in 2008-09 and 2013-14. He twice led all NHL defensemen in goals in 2011-12 and 2013-14. An alternate captain with the Predators in 2009-10, he was named captain of the team in 2010-11, and served until 2015-16. As far as individual honours are concerned, he was the 2016 recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award presented by the NHL to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team on and off the ice during the regular season. He has participated in six NHL All-Star Games and twice was named to the NHL's First and Second All-Star Teams. A product of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, Weber helped his team take part in three consecutive Memorial Cup championships (2003 to 2005; alternate captain in 2005), winning the coveted trophy in 2004.

Weber, 33, also represented his country on the international stage, namely the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games (in Vancouver and Sochi respectively; alternate captain at the latter), earning gold on both occasions. He also wore Canada's colors at the World Championship in 2007 (gold medal) and 2009 (silver medal; alternate captain), at the World Junior Hockey Championship (2005, gold medal), as well as at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 (gold medal; alternate captain).