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Are We Looking At the First MAX D-man? Is a Deadline For Trade Coming? |
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This morning, Mike Green signed a new 3 year deal with the Washington Capitals that will pay him greater than $6 Million per year. Mike Green. Green is a talented one-way d-man...no one will deny the fact...However, no one can also deny the huge drop off in his play over the past two seasons over which Green has fought through some tough injuries to be sure. In 08-09, and 09-10 Green put up 73 and 76 points respectively. Were you to combine Green's last two injury-riddled seasons into a tidy 81 games Green put up a combined 31 points.
Much was made of Green working on play in his own end...meaning he essentially started to play some defense..but when you look at the last two seasons he is a combined +11. The two seasons prior, when he was putting up huge numbers and not playing defense Green was a combined +63.
In his NHL career Green has played in 50 playoff games and put up 29 points and is a -1.
I am seeing many people ask today, "If Mike Green is worth 6M per, what is Shea Weber worth?"
In some ways this is not a fair comparison. Green is really a hybrid defenseman, essentially a forward who is effective attacking from the defensive side of the puck...Weber is a true defenseman.
Weber is the prototype defenseman. Shea plays solid D, is physical, makes flawless outlet transitional passes, can kill you with his point shot, and is a true Captain/leader. And Weber is one year from being a UFA...not just a UFA, but I would argue the best young available UFA Defenseman EVER.
Weber's D-partner Ryan Suter just got a huge pay increase to join the Wild, but Suter also turned down even more money and would have had even more enormous offers had he not essentially told the big-market teams in the East he wasn't going there.
Suter wasn't truly ever available to the Rangers, Flyers or Leafs...Shea Weber will be.
Enter the new CBA talks. Weber has pretty terrible timing when it comes to the new CBA, because come next year who knows if we will see an end to long deals or even a raising in the age a player can become a UFA. I am told it is very possible the NHLPA gives back some years of UFA eligibility for an increase in the percentage of pie they get from the owners. So we can't even say for sure if Shea Weber WILL be a UFA next July or not.
The saving grace for Weber in all of this is he is currently an RFA and can negotiate a new deal right now. He can sign a long term-big money deal before the rules are changed. The Preds and Weber are negotiating as we speak to make him a lifer in Nashville. Weber could sign an offer sheet, but if Nashville matched (and they surely would) Weber would be giving up his chance at free agency and would be locked into those terms with the Preds.
From talking to sources I truly do believe Weber wants to remain a Predator. The guy is as solid a person as he is a player...The question remains is signing Weber to a deal close to the maximum of 12 Million per the right move for the Predators, or is getting back several shining assets for Weber's rights more in line with Predator hockey. Weber knows this as well, and surely doesn't want to be an albatross to the team's ability to succeed and make future signings...
In the rumor mill...
I have been told by multiple sources of teams who are putting together offers "the likes of which we haven't seen since the Eric Lindros trade" for Weber. So far, David Poille, the consummate professional, is not willing to even listen. Poile won't use possible trade scenarios in these negotiations...But one source confirmed: "There is a timeline, and we are talking a matter of a few days now, at which time Poile will listen to offers and once that begins it is believed a trade will happen very quickly."
Another source: "All those players teams aren't willing to put into the Nash deal will be thrown into a deal to get Weber without much of a second thought. In fact were Weber to hit the market the Rick Nash sweeps would take another hit I am told, and Howson realizes this and is monitoring the Weber negotiations VERY closely."
The Predators fans will be upset to see Weber to go...for sure. However, one thing I have always been amazed by is the knowledge level of hockey fans in Nashville. It's one of the many reason I love the franchise and in talking to several Preds fans since the season ended more and more I am getting a sense Preds fans believe the best option is to trade Weber.
So who is putting together massive deals?
Of course there isn't an NHL team in existence who won't explore this, so you have to look more to the teams who have the funds to pay a D-man close to max money and who have the depth to give the Preds 2 top 6 forwards, 1 top 4 defender, 2 top flight prospects, and at least 2 first round draft picks... and in making the trade you have to be sure Weber will want to sign long-term with you...so basically: Who is nuts enough to do this?
From talking to people since the end of the season I know the Rangers, Sabres, Canadiens, Flyers, Bruins, Leafs, Wings, Hawks, Flames, Jets, and Canucks are among the early candidates.
This week is crucial...
I am being told the teams with the best offers to put forth are also the ones putting more pressure on Poile to open this up more and while the Preds and Weber will not put forth a deadline of sorts "publicly," one source assures me such a deadline is coming and "Chances are by Thursday or Friday it will be everywhere.."
Stay tuned....
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