Drouin to return to Montreal Canadiens, Shea Weber to miss season

There’s good news and bad news for the Montreal Canadiens: Jonathan Drouin is ready for his return to the ice and Shea Weber has likely sustained career-ending injuries, according to Habs general manager Marc Bergevin.

Drouin took a leave of absence from the team in late April, just ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Bergevin confirmed news of the return in a press conference this morning.

“We met with Jo, and Jo feels great. He’s focused and he’s ready to go,” the GM said. Drouin is expected to report to the Canadiens on the first day of training camp.

READ: Drouin situation reveals toxic element in Montreal Canadiens fanbase

Bergevin elaborated on Jonathan Drouin later in the press conference. “I think when Dom [Ducharme] took over, we saw the best hockey Jo ever played in a Montreal uniform. After that, we all saw his game drop. Knowing now why, and that’s been taken care of, we’re pretty excited to see Jo coming back.”

Elsewhere, Bergevin revealed that things are looking dismal for the return of team captain Shea Weber. “He won’t be back next season, and probably won’t be back for his career.” Weber suffered foot, ankle and thumb injuries throughout the past season but was determined to power through. “Even missing a practice for him wasn’t an option,” says Bergevin.

The general manager was devastated by the latter update. The team is dedicated to finding an athlete who can fill Shea Weber’s role for the forthcoming season. However, Bergevin painted him is more than just a player. “It will be impossible to replace Shea Weber.”

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