Dale Weise has spent a lot of his time with the press in Montreal, qualifying his experience with the Canadiens as a dream. Winning an award for his contributions to the team this season must feel like another “pinch me” moment for him.
Wednesday, Weise was honoured to be named the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy recipient, as voted on by the local media.
The trophy is given annually to the player whose important contributions haven’t been distinctly recognized at any particular point during the season. And it’s a fine choice, because no Canadien fits the bill better than he does.
“I work as hard as I can every time I’m out there,” said Weise when learning of this acknowledgement.
An unsung hero in last year’s playoffs, Weise began this year’s campaign as a healthy scratch in three of the team’s first seven games. After pushing his way out of Michel Therrien’s proverbial doghouse, he has set career highs in both goals (10) and assists (19), adding 32 penalty minutes and a game-winning goal through 77 contests thus far.
According to a release from the Canadiens, Weise finished with more than twice as many total votes for the Beauchamp-Molson Award than Brandon Prust and was a runaway from Brendan Gallagher, who finished third.
Billed as a fourth liner, Weise has proven versatile. He’s excelled as a penalty killer and an energy player, but he’s also provided much-needed secondary scoring for the goal-starved Canadiens. Amazingly, he’s added primary scoring as well, proving worthy of a pivotal role Michel Therrien offered during parts of this season next to top liners Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais.
Weise made his debut in Montreal in February of 2014 after he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks for Canadiens’ defenceman Raphael Diaz. The move has been a consensus pick as one of Marc Bergevin’s best since taking over as General Manager of the team.
The Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy was created in 1981 to honor the memory of the legendary sportswriter.
