The Nashville Predators played without captain Shea Weber on Tuesday night after the defenseman was scratched against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an injury. Weber missed the game with a lower-body injury, and he is currently listed as "day-to-day" for Nashville, according to Adam Vingan at the Tennessean.
Weber had not missed a game this season for the Predators, and he appeared healthy while playing nearly 30 minutes against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. The Predators will next play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday after winning on the road against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.
"To not have him there is not where we want to be, but I thought our guys stepped up really good tonight," said coach Peter Laviolette.
Weber may not be ready to play by Thursday, and if he sits out again he could be replaced with Ryan Ellis. Ellis played alongside Weber's defensive partner, Roman Josi, against the Maple Leafs. The Predators also saw defenseman Barret Jackman return to the ice against the Maple Leafs after missing Monday's game with an injury.
Weber has been one of the most productive defensemen in the league this season, recording 36 points in 60 games played. Weber has 15 goals and 21 assists, and he also has blocked 133 shots for the Predators. Nashville has strong depth at the blue line, but Weber is one of the best players in the league at his position, and missing any extended amount of time would be tough for the Predators to overcome.
The Predators started goalie Carter Hutton against the Maple Leafs on Thursday over Pekka Rinne, as the team was playing the second game of a back-to-back. Hutton has performed well in his chances in net this season, posting a 7-2-2 record with a 2.16 goals against average. Laviolette said that "both goaltenders are playing really well right now" and that the goalies should each get playing time down the stretch.
The Predators are currently in the playoff mix and battling for position in the Western Conference. The team has a 29-21-11 record and sits in the first wild card spot with 69 points, three ahead of the Colorado Avalanche.
