by Blain Potvin, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
HALIFAX, NS — Leadership means different things to different people. Leaders are a key resource on any team. Most teams compete more by means of their leaders than their overall skills as individuals.
Team work is essential to meet team goals. The ability to lead effectively, to enthuse and build respect are skills that are highly sought after by teams, especially when a highly skilled player embodies these qualities.
Anyone who has been part of a team in the military, in sports or in business, will have seen how well-meaning, talented leaders fall flat when they cannot learn to adjust their style to match their team or situation. A leadership failure can be the most glaring change that will be felt by players in the dressing room.
The Canadiens’ addition of Andrew Shaw, a two time Stanley Cup champion, adds experience needed to provide a voice that has reached the level of success desired by the franchise. And the trade of P.K. Subban was not just about making a change on the ice for more defensive ability, more size or for more grit. It was made to shake up the makeup of the team on the ice as well as in the dressing room.
One of the most important aspects of leadership is that not every leader is the same. Of course we have all heard jokes about ‘mushroom’ leadership (keep them in the dark and feed them manure) and ‘seagulls’ (swoop in, squawk, and drop unpleasant things on people) but joking aside, there are many different styles of leadership.
Different leadership styles are appropriate for different people and different circumstances, and the best leaders learn to use them all. 
Captain Max Pacioretty is still young and learning. He holds many qualities that define a good leader but he is lacking in some areas that could help to rally a team to a common goal. He still needs to apprentice this craft.
Whether it is Shaw or Weber, adding another strong and respected voice takes nothing away from Pacioretty. They simply add other voices in the chorus, perhaps voices that can, when needed, rise up and help him rally the team to that one goal.
Subban possesses some leadership qualities, however his are more of the enthusiastic “cheerleader” brand, which does hold a lot of value but loses its effectiveness during the low points of a season especially when perpetually used in all situations. Subban’s on-ice effort was all-in and it was obvious that P.K. did everything possible on ice to win, however, the team did not rally around this. If Subban was able to adjust his style, the downward slide last season and possibly the trade may not have happened.
The loss of Carey Price was a heavy one. And it wasn’t just about his on-ice play. The Canadiens lost his quiet leadership and the gravitas of his words when he used them to refocus his teammates. Price’s leadership style is one of calm and inclusiveness. He was able to help bridge the different leadership styles and egos in the room into one cohesive group. This is a style that few can accomplish. It is a style that is shared by Shea Weber.
With respect to the Subban – Weber trade, some argue that the Canadiens are on the wrong side in terms of talent, youth and dollars. But the same argument can be made in defense of Shea Weber, as he is also seen as a top defensemen in the NHL at this moment. His playing style is very different than P.K. Subban’s and can be argued, just as impactful. Yet, it is not as exciting.
As much as fans want to make the trade about “giving up” on a star player, this move was not about that. This was moving a star player to get a different style of star player, but one that had an attribute that management identified as being a key asset for the team to acquire: leadership.
“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” — General Colin Powell
Adding Weber, a respected leader in any dressing room, one who has a more mature and proven leadership style is a major benefit to such a young team. He has been a well-respected leader for several years on both NHL and international teams.
Playing his powerful and simplified game Weber has had success with a Memorial Cup, World Junior Gold, two Olympic gold medals and World Championship gold and has held leadership roles on all of those teams. He leads by example setting the standard of what being a professional means for many years.
This season will unfold and the value of the trade will be judged based on the success achieved on the ice. Adding the current Mark Messier Award winner was about changing the makeup of the dressing room. It was to add someone who can rally a team around a common goal: victory. And that is in the end what any fan truly wants to see their chosen team do most.