Update - The $7.5 million award for Shea Weber has the twitterverse buzzing. I can't say I'm surprised at the figure.
Now things turn to get ready for the season. I will be curious to hear David Poile speak about this. There is a conference call happening at 4pm CDT to discuss the arbitration decision.
Update 2 - On the Conference call with David Poile and Shea Weber... will update as info comes out...
Update 3 - David Poile starts off with comments. "Shea got recognized as one of the top defensemen in the NHL" ... "Congratulations to Shea."
Update 4 - Poile stated that Weber and he met on Monday night to make sure they were going in the same direction. Poile states that Weber's goal is to win the Stanley Cup... and that is also the Predator's goal.
Update 5 - Poile on the negotiation... "We negotiated long and hard... we talked from a one year contract to a much longer." "We just couldn't get it done." "This keeps me focused on what we have to do." "The process was the process... and is over with." "We will continue to negotiate to get him signed long term."
Update 6 - Poile - "We have lots of work to do." "I want to improve our team up front." "We are a team on the rise."
Update 7 - Shea Weber now speaking... "I'm thankful to all the fans for hanging in there through this process."
Update 8
Now on to Q & A
Cory Curtis from WKRN asked if the relationship was damaged, Weber's answer was no... and he is excited about the new season to come.
Shea sounded a little skeptical when discussing the competitiveness of the team. Especially saying that "time will tell." although he did say that the owners were "committed to winning."
David Poile said that he wanted to ensure that he and Weber were on the "same path."
Update 9 - Poile "I am a big believer in the group of forwards that we have."
Update 10 - Poile "I'm a little more bullish on our forwards than people outside."
Update 11 - Poile "We didn't get a deal done... that could be viewed as a failure, or an opportunity."
Update 12 - Weber "I love it in Nashville, I love the city, I love the fans."
Update 13 - Weber sounds like a mature leader in answering these questions.
Update 14 - Josh Cooper from the Tennessean asking about the comparison to the Scott Stevens situation. Poile "It's pressure and it's compromise... I talked to Shea about this." ... "It is our goal to sign Shea to a longer term contract."
Update 15 - Weber "Our goal is to win the cup."
Final Update - After listening to the conference call, all the right things were said. Both Shea Weber and David Poile said that it was over and behind them, good news for Pred Nation. That being said, David Poile's work is definitely cut out for him. Getting Ryan Suter, Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber signed is a tall order indeed.
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“Ugly Business” I keep hearing that term used for the arbitration process, an apt description for what has transpired over the past few days in the “let’s get Shea Weber signed” saga that continues to play out. Now the terminally uninformed take over as in the past 12 hours I have heard and read some of the most ridiculous stories speculating about the whole affair. All from people that weren’t in the room, all from so-called journalists that are being used to forward whatever agendas exist.
Knowing how tight-lipped the Predators front office is, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out where all the information is coming from… in direct violation of the process.
A big deal is being made over the money separation of the contract offers that were leaked… ummm hello… it’s a negotiation… that’s how it is done… and for all this talk of hurt feelings and damaged relationships… well, I don’t judge Shea Weber that harshly. He’s a big boy and can take criticism, to imply otherwise is to really imply that the captain of this team isn’t the man we know him to be. To imply otherwise is to say that Shea Weber doesn’t know that this is business… and business can be rough at times.
Shea Weber’s new agent is obviously using this negotiation to grow their NHL business. Weber is the biggest hockey name in the Titan Sports Management camp, but this organization obviously has a lot to learn about hockey. Want proof? Check out the announcement they posted on their website when Shea came over to them… stick tap to On the Forecheck for the
link. I know that agents are there to get as much as possible for their client, but for heaven's sake, if you want to look like you know the game, get a proofreader that can prevent public mistakes like that one!
So, what now?
The two sides can continue to negotiate and finalize a deal before the arbitrator’s ruling comes out, or wait for the ruling and use that as a baseline for a contract extension that achieves what both sides want. Or the two parties can go back to work, and deal with the endless media speculation about Weber being trade bait come deadline time.
So much for a boring August…
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Random Notes
- A quick aside to Puck Daddy, and Titan Sports Management… this is the second time a team elected arbitration has gone to a hearing... not the first. The first one was the Florida Panthers with Roberto Luongo.
- Pred Nation’s reaction to yesterday’s news ran the gamut from quiet resignation to outrage. Plenty of silly suggestions made...
- With the start of middle Tennessee schools over the next week, you will start to see more Predators returning from summer homes and working out at Sportsplex.
- Stick tap to Richard Cloutier on his “What is the NHL’s Best City to Play In?” post today. I certainly don’t agree with his ranking Nashville so low, or his reasons for doing it, but I do respect the effort.
- Another player is being entwined in the Winnipeg Jets number mess… first Evander Kane, now Bryan Little, who wears number 10. Another number that was retired by the Phoenix Coyotes… It’s a shame that True North couldn’t create a new team and new identity as these distractions will continue.
- Since being shot down in their referendum on Monday, New York Islanders ownership is scrambling to develop alternative plans to keep the team in the New York area. Brooklyn is a possibility, but the new Barclays Center will have less seating that Winnipeg (not a recipe for success.)
- The NHL research and development camp is back on Aug 17-18. Some of the ideas to be studied… hand passes in the offensive zone, repeat shootout participants, no line changes after an offsides, only “on the fly” line changes allowed, eliminate the trapezoid… among others. Should be interesting.
- 43 days till training camp opens.
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