Canadiens name rehabbing Weber as captain

Despite the fact that he is unlikely to play an NHL game before December at the earliest, defenseman Shea Weber became the Montreal Canadiens 30th captain.

He succeeds Americanborn winger Max Pacioretty, who was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights this summer.

Pacioretty had been Montreal’s captain since 2015. Weber’s captaincy was decided by management; Pacioretty’s title came via a player vote.

Weber, 33, arrived in Montreal in June 2016 via a trade with Nashville that sent star defenseman P.K. Subban to Nashville.

Weber played only 26 games for Montreal last season, with six goals and 10 assists.

He will not, however, start the season with the team after having arthroscopic right knee surgery in July that is expected to keep him out for five to six months.

Sabres

Former Penguins forward Scott Wilson will miss eight to 10 weeks after having surgery for a broken ankle.

The Sabres also announced that highly touted forward Alexander Nylander was assigned to its AHL affiliate in Rochester.

Stars

Dallas acquired defenseman Connor Carrick from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional draft pick next year. Toronto made the deal Monday, sending Carrick to Dallas for a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft. That will become a sixth-round pick if he plays in 50 NHL games this season.

Ducks

Anaheim claimed left winger Pontus Aberg off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. Aberg had four goals and 12 assists while splitting the 2017-18 season between Nashville and Edmonton. The former second-round pick by the Predators has 18 points in 68 career NHL games, and the Swede played in six Stanley Cup final games for Nashville in 2017. The Ducks added him after right winger Corey Perry had right knee surgery that will keep him out for at least five months and the fact that two other forwards, Patrick Eaves (illness) and Ryan Kesler (injury), are not at full strength.

Elsewhere

Forward Scott Hartnell, 36, announced his retirement after 17 seasons. He was unsigned after spending 2017-18 with Nashville.