Shea Weber Signs 14-Year Offer Sheet With Philadelphia
Jonathan Willis
July 19 2012 12:25AM
Offer sheets are back, and in a big way. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed defenseman Shea Weber to a 14-year contract worth more than $100 million.
The obvious solution for Nashville is to match, if they can. This could represent a golden opportunity to get their franchise defender under contract for the long haul. However, they may not have the cash to match the up-front money. Again, via Darren Dreger:
Its going to be fascinating to see financial terms of Weber's offer sheet. Hearing in one calendar year, he could make $26 mil.
The Predators need to be able to match that first year because they aren't able to trade Weber in Year One; the current collective bargaining agreement stipulates that in any situation where a team matches the offer sheet to one of their restricted free agents, they must retain his services for the next season.
If Nashville can afford the money, then this solves their problem of trying to get Weber under contract. If they can't, then Philadelphia just landed their Chris Pronger replacement for the price of four (undoubtedly low) first round draft picks.
The offer sheet comes as attempts to land Weber via trade failed. Dreger writes that "its believed several deadlines passed before Flyers grew tired of waiting" and reports that other teams in on a possible Weber trade included the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks.
(On an Oilers note: if that's the complete list of teams pushing hard for Weber, and it wasn't made plain to the Oilers organization that Weber had no interest in coming to Canada, then the team simply wasn't doing their job.)
This is easily the biggest offer sheet of this CBA; more details will likely become available tomorrow when people wake up on the east coast.
Poile's signing of Rinne to a loooong term contract may seem suspect without Suter and Weber on the ice....looks like a playoff spot in the west has opened up....must wonder if bringing the cancerous Radulov back may have po'd some of the Preds?
@The Beaker
I think you are underestimating the Nashville fans. If management could communicate the situation properly, I believe that the fans there would embrace the idea. They may even find some solidarity in hating visits from the Flyers and Wild. Loathing can be a powerful marketing tool.
As for the financial issues, yes the Predators have some cash problems, but I wonder if that doesn't stem from a lack of corporate support rather than just the grassroots fan base.
That might work for a year. I just have serious doubts that would have any sustaining power. If weber isn't there Nashville is in HUGE trouble. Heck, even if he is there I think they are in trouble. Their saving grace is that Detroit in their own conference is having its own troubles.
No, Nashville cannot likely handle an Oilers style rebuild.
Does one know the average age of NHL players upon retirement?
The long terms shouldnt go beyond that point of age.
I think there was an article not too long ago about it and it was like 37years old.
Pay attention. This isn't because Edmonton didn't get him. Reports included specific lists of teams sending him offer sheets. Edmonton was not among them.
This is idiotic. Weber campaigned to get Radulov back and spoke to him numerous times to convince him to come back over.
@tigerunderglass
You do know there will always be teams that were not mentioned in the talks. I don't think just the obvious teams like NYR/DET/SJ/PHI were the only teams in talks. Using @hockeyyinsiderr for the reports does not count as being credible. BTW who invited you to the party.
"...Before Philly starts racking up Stanley Cup banners they might need a goalie.Again and still..."
...i'm thinkin' their goalie gets better and better with a world class Dman in front ...Rinne did
1. Why don't you take 2 seconds and look up who provided reports on the offer sheets sent in before ruthlessly insulting someone with an insiderr reference. I've sued over less than that.
2. What do you mean "who invited you to the party"? It doesn't even make sense. Who invited me to comment in a thread I've been commenting in all day? Who invited me to slum it and respond you your presumptive ignorant comment? Who invited me to the contract signing party? WHAT PARTY DAMMIT AND WHERE IS THE BAR?
TUG wrote:
Now THAT made me laugh out loud.
Meh, to be honest I deeply regret not being the one to make the Peckham comment.
@The Beaker
I agree that Nashville doesn't have the same breathing room that the Oilers do for a rebuild, but an additional four first round picks to add to an already decent amateur scouting regime and with a decent defence prospect list, this thing could actually help them.
The alternative is taking Weber on a huge contract only to have to trade him at a later date, for less, and likely having not made any progress in the standings or playoffs as a result of the unbalanced payroll.
It sucks, and there is literally no way that Poile can win any trade wherein Weber is going the other way, the trick will be to minimize the damage and position the team to recover most effectively.
Glad I'm not him. Though I do wish I'd learned to skate better. I may not have become a Shea Weber, but I think Jeff Finger could have clearly been within my sights. ;-)
Good gosh no. You make that move if your team is in the top third of the league not the bottom.
Wow!!! Huge contracts, increasing cap and of course the jump in ticket prices!
No wonder the average Joe can't take their kids to see a hockey game anymore!!
These guys are worse then politicians!
question... would you want this afore mentioned "albatross contract" hanging over our team or would you want to start racking up Stanley Cup banners [like Philly may end up doing] until it became bird like?[by pelham grenville]
In a heartbeat, not often No.1's like him come along. Oilers will have to set their sights on Weber jr now in Erik Gudbranson. We missed out on the best, there's no use locking in on a plan B or C option in Bouwmeester or Yandle. May as well wait and hope Klefbom is the real deal. Waiting one more yr for Oscar when there may be no hockey this coming season isn't that far away. All in now for Gudbranson, or grow our own.
Let the Fab 5 (if we include Schultzy) get their minutes in this season, play the wheels off Khabibulin and pray for Nathan MacKinnon time.
Exactly how many Stanley cups did the tandem of Suter and Weber deliver in their years together? More to the point, how many series wins? And now some posters are sawing the cup in half and delivering one part to to Philly and the other to Minny? The game is played on the ice, and historically these obscene overpayments haven't yielded much silverware. The Flyers and Rangers should know this better than most.
@TigerUnderGlass: "This is idiotic. Weber campaigned to get Radulov back and spoke to him numerous times to convince him to come back over."
Try this on for size wise guy, from the Tennessean (June 19: Josh Cooper):
"At media availability for ....[the] NHL Awards, Weber took all questions — ...[about] Suter’s contract situation and his comments about Alexander Radulov to a Vancouver radio station in May and how he said he felt “betrayed” by the Russian winger."
I'll get you the transcript of the radio interview if you'd like...
Try this on for size? Really?
Congratulations! You just used a comment from after the playoffs to prove that Weber did not want Radulov to come over for the playoffs.
FFS
A wee problem with reading comprehension TUG? There was dissention in the room with Radulov and although some of the players accepted it at first and encouraged his return, the sense from the news reports is it caused a lot of finger pointing and yapping....hence the team has basically disintegrated...maybe you haven't noticed that.
What am I supposed to have failed to comprehend? Your incomprehensible position? Everyone gets it - Radulov is Russian so this must all be his fault somehow.
You somehow seem to believe that Weber, a guy who badly wanted Radulov to come and play, is upset with the team and blames them for having Radulov come and play.
Your proof consists of comments made after the playoffs were over and "news reports" from before that don't exist because they never happened. All you may have read beforehand was speculation of the "I wonder if there will be dissent" variety.
It's not comprehension afterall TUG..you simply can't read. Read what I said man...not what you want to read into it...
I can only repeat your own comments back to you so many times - I'm bored. Say something interesting or stop. I'll give you one last chance to maintain my attention. Here is the conversation to date:
You - Nashville bringing over Radulov probably ha something to do with Weber leaving.
Me - Weber really wanted him to come so I doubt he blames Nashville for it
You - but Weber said he was betrayed
Me - uhh - that was after the playoffs. How does that mean he didn't want him to come over?
you - u r stoopid
Do you have anything to add to your so far brilliant argument? I would try to rebut except you refuse to make a point. If I lack comprehension then dumb it down - because clearly I just don't get it.
Girls stop it. Your both pretty! Weber signed for the DOUGH. and the chance for a cup.