All the more reason for Nashville to hold on to their most valuable asset.
- spatso

If that asset still results in the team losing money, how huge an asset is it?

I honestly can't see the Preds taking Voracek since he remains unsigned. I think Schenn under contract is more attractive and they ease up on their need for Couturier to be in the deal.
- sulshawn

the first thing that popped into my mind when I heard about this yesterday was that there will have to be a trade for weber to be a flyer and that a guy like schenn would have to be part of it to save face for NSH. then I thought that NSH needed a dman and the synergy of the bros playing together made the whole thing seem logical...

I honestly can't see the Preds taking Voracek since he remains unsigned. I think Schenn under contract is more attractive and they ease up on their need for Couturier to be in the deal.
- sulshawn

i'd let the preds match if the Flyers have to give up vorecek, Meszaros, MAB and 2 # 1s instead of 4 1s. Voracek and Meszaros are both better than late 1s. f you use the contract and offer sheet value they're worth a 1 and a 3 each. too steep.

Their 2014 for Jake, Metz, and maybe bourdon? They might do that. That pick is another whole season away. It might not be a top 10 by then.
- nails

Nashville should just give up Weber and 4 of their own 1st round picks for Voracek as a thank you, you know... because they are in the business of helping the Flyers win.

Those picks coming back might be the best offer they get.
Flyers will be over the cap barrel and other teams aren't going to give as much value back because they know the flyers must make a move.
Honestly, if they were to send mez back, there is almost enough cap room for doan still, and that is without sending Shelley packing, finding a taker for lilja, or printers LTIR once the season starts.
- nails

It could be the best offer available. I just keep my options open.

Not quite. The accountants will likely look at the potential of $40mm in losses in two years time and wonder about the sustainability of a team that loses that kind of money.
- Jsaquella

Its a double edge sword. If they sign him, they save face with the fans.. but would be crippled financially. If they dont sign him, they would be killed by fans, and would likely see a drop in interest (meaning money as well), but wouldnt be as financially gutted. They could always invest money in other players.

No business accountant would allow them to surrender their most valuable asset for minimal return. The impact on the overall net value of the team would be immense if Weber walks and there is no big return coming back. The bean counters, as you say, will be the first to say they have to match.
- spatso

I'm a bean counter and I say match. Worst decision would be not to match both hockey and financialy.

The next CBA will probabbly be better for owners also.

It doesn't make sense to trade Couturier, Schenns or Coburn to get Weber when all the flyers have to do is sit back with a hardcore poker face and force nash to make the next move.
There is no reason for the flyers to deal very good young players when they don't have to. Obviously Poille wanted more than PH was willing to give so I say take what we are willing to give or match the OS. If the Flyers don't get Weber I give them big props for trying.

Looking at the 6 year numbers on JUST Rinne and Weber... is crazy.. add in say an addition 30 mill per year (super low ball) for the rest of the team...
64 over 6 years for weber.
42 over 6 years for Rinne.
30x6 over 6 years for the rest= 180

180+64+42=286 million in 6 years... for a team who would like bring in around only 156 million in ticket sales. I understand that ticket sales are not the only way bills get paid, but that is a scarrrrrrrrry figure.
- jak521

Yikes. The more I look at it the more it seems like Preds ownership will just have to suck it up and pay out of their own pockets while knowing that they will not make the money back. That would be more likely if any of their owners had a big ego, but I don't get that impression.

No business accountant would allow them to surrender their most valuable asset for minimal return. The impact on the overall net value of the team would be immense if Weber walks and there is no big return coming back. The bean counters, as you say, will be the first to say they have to match.
- spatso

No business accountant would find it wise to sink all the franchise's money on one player, either. Make no mistake, it's a no win scenario.

i'd let the preds match if the Flyers have to give up vorecek, Meszaros, MAB and 2 # 1s instead of 4 1s. Voracek and Meszaros are both better than late 1s. f you use the contract and offer sheet value they're worth a 1 and a 3 each. too steep.
- jstross

Thats what I'm saying. Why give them back so much. We can just move on without Weber and continue to build around what we have. The money is there for this team to make other moves.

It's possible both Schenn Brothers could be traded to Nashville for 2 first round picks.
- sulshawn

Homer picked Laughton knowing he would be trading a center

Nashville should just give up Weber and 4 of their own 1st round picks for Voracek as a thank you, you know... because they are in the business of helping the Flyers win.


- psoneill

Damn straight they should....Thats what happens when you play with the big boys.

I disagree he says he wants out knowing that Nashville could match the offer and he could be there for anywheer for 1 to 14 years. I think he absolutely didn'tw ant to be in Nashville he would have forced a trade so Nashville couldn't have an opportunity to match any offer.

Additionally, the Preds could trade Weber after this year and get a bigger return than what compensation they'd receive from Philly.

Also its not that different because the similarities are the Flyers reallly really want Weber just like they did Pronger.
- sulshawn

so you're saying they should pay him 27 million for one year??

how do you know he didn't ask for a trade -- but maybe he wants to dictate where he wanted to go -- i mean, the flyers have been in talks with nashville to trade for him...but Poile was asking too much.

I personally think Nashville matches....but at least he will stay in the west and not go to the Rangers

Its a double edge sword. If they sign him, they save face with the fans.. but would be crippled financially. If they dont sign him, they would be killed by fans, and would likely see a drop in interest (meaning money as well), but wouldnt be as financially gutted. They could always invest money in other players.
- jak521

Gotta believe that ownership will choose to not financially cripple themselves and just try to rebuild without Shea Weber and Suter. They have two potential stars on their blueline in Ellis and Josi.

They could go get a bridge guy like Jay Bouwmeester to help keep them afloat.

Yikes. The more I look at it the more it seems like Preds ownership will just have to suck it up and pay out of their own pockets while knowing that they will not make the money back. That would be more likely if any of their owners had a big ego, but I don't get that impression.
- sheerrw

From what i get their ownership is ver conservative with money. The main reason the situation is at this point.

The Preds lost money with Suter and Weber. What's the drop off going to be if they lose both? How much worse will it really be? IF Nashville decides to match the offer good luck to them trying to build a team around TWO players who take up most of your money. The Flyers are in the driver seat here and need to just sit back and relax. Even if they dont get Weber, they still have a solid club and money to build.
- stveshdy

Ultimately, winning is what puts ticket revenue in the bank. If they think they can continue to make the playoffs without Weber, they don't match.

Homer picked Laughton knowing he would be trading a center
- vejim

B. schenn was a #5 first rd pick. He's worth two late 1st rd picks himself.

Its a double edge sword. If they sign him, they save face with the fans.. but would be crippled financially. If they dont sign him, they would be killed by fans, and would likely see a drop in interest (meaning money as well), but wouldnt be as financially gutted. They could always invest money in other players.
- jak521

That's how I see it, too. It's possible the don't match and agree to a trade with the Flyers, or another team, for the assets that they get from the Flyers.

Or they match and hope they can manage to finance the Weber and Rinne deals and build a winning team around them.

That's the bottom line, biggest asset or not, if the team doesn't win they won't draw fans and be viable. Does having Weber and Rinne and the inability to pay a supporting cast achieve that?

I wouldn't be amazed at any of the scenarios. I'm not saying that it's a sure thing they don't match, just that it's a tough money decision.

i'd let the preds match if the Flyers have to give up vorecek, Meszaros, MAB and 2 # 1s instead of 4 1s. Voracek and Meszaros are both better than late 1s. f you use the contract and offer sheet value they're worth a 1 and a 3 each. too steep.
- jstross

if the preds match then he's a predator for at least a year.....

they should not match....then trade us back two firsts for Mesz, MAB and Read.

so that'll be Mesz, MAB, Read and 2 firsts for Weber.

From what i get their ownership is ver conservative with money. The main reason the situation is at this point.
- Philly1980

They didn't want to pay Weber last year with an extension but now they want to give him 26M in one year and 110M over 14? It's not an easy decision but the Flyers dont need to be pressured, Nashville is the desperate team in this situation.

Nashville should just give up Weber and 4 of their own 1st round picks for Voracek as a thank you, you know... because they are in the business of helping the Flyers win.


- psoneill

What are you talking about? I'm saying Nashville keeps our 4 first rounded, gets Jake and mezs, and we get back their 2014 first rounder.
Oh, and Weber.

Ultimately, winning is what puts ticket revenue in the bank. If they think they can continue to make the playoffs without Weber, they don't match.
- nails

Nasville has been a wining team for quite a few years now and they are still losing millions of dollars. If it werent for millions of tax payer money to keep them afloat they would be bankrupt right now.

No way Nashville is going to give up their draft pick knowing its possible it could be in top 10 at least. The Flyers want Weber. They didn't sign him to offer sheet to have Nashville match. I think this helped give the Flyers an advantage but still need to work something out for Nashville to decide NOT to match
- sulshawn

Keeping their best asset requires the team to take on their biggest individual liability (second to the arena, I'm guessing). This is not an easy decision to make.

I wish the flyers' offseasons weren't so boring.