Weber will be paid, the Preds will lose millions, the other owners will bail them out, owners will whine, Gary will say no one is making money...


and the cycle will continue

IMO- losing Weber, and Suter may cost the Preds more in income from fans than paying Weber.

Pay Weber and lose 10-15 million or don't pay him and watch 15-20 million in ticket/jersey sales go out the door.
- IanEsplen[/quote]


I totally agree. Suter leaving can be accepted but to lose both wont sit will with Johnny Walk-Up fans.

You think enough of Weber to pay him 56 million in 4 years but you want to trade your garbage for him and expect Nashville to except it. If I were Poile you'd give me the Schenn brothers and Coots or you wouldn't get Weber. For those thinking Nashville doesn't have the money..you obviously don't realize the available resources to millionaires.
- Graydayz

Philly holds all the cards if it comes down to a trade at this point.

I beleive you are right, but there would probably be a defensemen going back the other directions as well. The Flyers will have a log jam and need to shed salary.

Voreck, Mez, and 2 first.

**I also beleive the offer sheet came from the belief that the Flyers believe they have enough young talent heading forward they can loose the picks. This comes on the heals of their development camp which featured some real strong play from their prospects and invitees.
- flyers2001

I say Phil has to include one of b schenn or coutouier

From a Nashville perspective, would you rather have traded Suter prior to the deadline for the future (pick/prospect and maybe a good roster player)? I mean, thinking back to the playoff potential without Suter, was it worth the risk?

Where is everyone getting this $27 million next year junk, the max you can pay a player in a season is $14, once the season ends, Nashville could trade Weber to any team they want and as long as they get it done prior to July 1st, when the next bonus kicks in, they are good (remember the Danny Heatley fiasco in Ottawa?)

If they decide not to match, as far as a trade with the Flyers, I could see them giving back a pick or two for a roster player or two to address their needs for cap and personell reasons. To the point that the Flyers hold all the cards...not really, all Nashville has to do is match and the Flyers get nothing. In a year if they are still interested the price will be much higher than 4 first round picks.

Peter is absolutely right. Brett Wilson owns 12% of the Predators (increased it from 5% last November and has an option to go to 51% at any time) and he is a billionaire with a B. No shortage of money - the question is whether Weber is worth paying $56 million to over the next 4 years. I doubt it but the perception here is that if the Preds don't match and take the picks, no free agent will go anywhere near them (unless they overpay) and they will be in a continual rebuilding mode. A tough choice - I would match, keep him for a year, and then trade him. The offer sheet has a no trade clause but Weber will waive.

Brett Wilson is a native of Saskatchewan and I think in the back of his mind is the potential to move the team to Regina. A smallish city but the province is very rich (it sits on potash) and more corporate dollars there all the time.
- JoeBlow56

Offer Sheet does not have a NTC

From a Nashville perspective, would you rather have traded Suter prior to the deadline for the future (pick/prospect and maybe a good roster player)? I mean, thinking back to the playoff potential without Suter, was it worth the risk?

Where is everyone getting this $27 million next year junk, the max you can pay a player in a season is $14, once the season ends, Nashville could trade Weber to any team they want and as long as they get it done prior to July 1st, when the next bonus kicks in, they are good (remember the Danny Heatley fiasco in Ottawa?)

If they decide not to match, as far as a trade with the Flyers, I could see them giving back a pick or two for a roster player or two to address their needs for cap and personell reasons. To the point that the Flyers hold all the cards...not really, all Nashville has to do is match and the Flyers get nothing. In a year if they are still interested the price will be much higher than 4 first round picks.
- 1970vintage

Weber can't be traded until one year after the offer sheet was signed (or Nashville decides to match, I'm not exactly sure). The point is, if they match, they owe him the 1st signing bonus immediately and on July 1st, before they can trade him, they owe him the 2nd signing bonus.

From a Nashville perspective, would you rather have traded Suter prior to the deadline for the future (pick/prospect and maybe a good roster player)? I mean, thinking back to the playoff potential without Suter, was it worth the risk?

Where is everyone getting this $27 million next year junk, the max you can pay a player in a season is $14, once the season ends, Nashville could trade Weber to any team they want and as long as they get it done prior to July 1st, when the next bonus kicks in, they are good (remember the Danny Heatley fiasco in Ottawa?)

If they decide not to match, as far as a trade with the Flyers, I could see them giving back a pick or two for a roster player or two to address their needs for cap and personell reasons. To the point that the Flyers hold all the cards...not really, all Nashville has to do is match and the Flyers get nothing. In a year if they are still interested the price will be much higher than 4 first round picks.
- 1970vintage

Whenever Poile decides to match or not, Shea Weber is owed his signing bonus , for this year, which is 13 million. Then he is paid 1 million over the course of the season. Then, July 1st 2013, Shea Weber is owed the second signing bonus of 13 million. 13+1+13=27 million in one calander year BEFORE Nashville can trade him.

Weber can't be traded until one year after the offer sheet was signed (or Nashville decides to match, I'm not exactly sure). The point is, if they match, they owe him the 1st signing bonus immediately and on July 1st, before they can trade him, they owe him the 2nd signing bonus.
- eayost

You're wrong there, once the season is over teams are free to trade player contracts. Teams in the playoffs wouldn't trade for a player necessarily because unless the player was acquired prior to the deadline they can't play in the playoffs. So, the scenarios are:

1) Nashville does not match, they accept the four first round picks and either keep them, or trade one (or more) of them back to the Flyers for players / prospects etc.

2) Nashville matches and keeps Weber until the end of the 2012/13 season (April/May) and trade him prior to July 1st, when the next hefty bonus would kick in.

3) Nashville matches and keeps Weber for the rest of his life.

Whenever Poile decides to match or not, Shea Weber is owed his signing bonus , for this year, which is 13 million. Then he is paid 1 million over the course of the season. Then, July 1st 2013, Shea Weber is owed the second signing bonus of 13 million. 13+1+13=27 million in one calander year BEFORE Nashville can trade him.
- GirouxForTheShow

You're wrong there, once the season is over teams are free to trade player contracts. Teams in the playoffs wouldn't trade for a player necessarily because unless the player was acquired prior to the deadline they can't play in the playoffs. So, the scenarios are:

1) Nashville does not match, they accept the four first round picks and either keep them, or trade one (or more) of them back to the Flyers for players / prospects etc.

2) Nashville matches and keeps Weber until the end of the 2012/13 season (April/May) and trade him prior to July 1st, when the next hefty bonus would kick in.

3) Nashville matches and keeps Weber for the rest of his life.
- 1970vintage

I'm not an expert but I don't believe you are right on that one. Yes a player can be traded once the playoffs are over but in terms of a newly signed restricted free agent, you must wait one full year before trading him. Its not just one hockey season.

I say Phil has to include one of b schenn or coutouier
- Bieksa#3

then nashville can have weber and that lofty contract. flyers lost nothing. just saying.

Whenever Poile decides to match or not, Shea Weber is owed his signing bonus , for this year, which is 13 million. Then he is paid 1 million over the course of the season. Then, July 1st 2013, Shea Weber is owed the second signing bonus of 13 million. 13+1+13=27 million in one calander year BEFORE Nashville can trade him.
- GirouxForTheShow

If I am an opposing team's GM that is interested in trading for Weber around 7/1/13 I am holding that payment over Nashville's head. Are they willing to pay him that money? If not, I am not giving you that much since I have to pay it.

If I am an opposing team's GM that is interested in trading for Weber around 7/1/13 I am holding that payment over Nashville's head. Are they willing to pay him that money? If not, I am not giving you that much since I have to pay it.
- fnmjoe13

No GM would trade before the bonus is paid period.

If I was Nash I would take a couple of roster players and two first round picks in the next couple of years.
Either develope them or trade for something later.

If I am an opposing team's GM that is interested in trading for Weber around 7/1/13 I am holding that payment over Nashville's head. Are they willing to pay him that money? If not, I am not giving you that much since I have to pay it.
- fnmjoe13

The date Nashville signs or declines the Offer Sheet, Weber cannot be traded for a calender year. So it will be anywhere from July 21st till the 25th. in 2013, until he can be traded. Assuming that the signing bonus is due on July 1st, Nashville doesn't have a choice. I think Homer really put as much as he could forward to paint Poile in a corner. The set-up of the deal is pretty remarkable.

*Assuming the signing bonus is due precisely on July 1st or when the contract was signed. Either way, it is a cloud over Nashville's head.

The date Nashville signs or declines the Offer Sheet, Weber cannot be traded for a calender year. So it will be anywhere from July 21st till the 25th. in 2013, until he can be traded. Assuming that the signing bonus is due on July 1st, Nashville doesn't have a choice. I think Homer really put as much as he could forward to paint Poile in a corner. The set-up of the deal is pretty remarkable.

*Assuming the signing bonus is due precisely on July 1st or when the contract was signed. Either way, it is a cloud over Nashville's head.
- GirouxForTheShow

One source said no trades for one hockey season, reading the actual CBA document it says one year from the date of the transaction, I was wrong.

Nashville has the money to match without a problem. They don't have to pay Suter anymore! This is a top 3 defenseman, and your teams undisputed leader. If the Preds dont match they will lose all respect around the league and become another Columbus. Poile did this to himself, he should have overpaid and signed Weber longterm last summer. Weber was going to get his money one way or another.

Nothing drives me crazier than someone saying a late first is worthless. Shea Weber was a mid-SECOND!
- No Look Drop Pass

If we look at mid second round picks as a whole, you're going to find a lot less shea webers, a lot more never beens. A mid to late first is still a good pick, but you are unlikely to find another shea weber that way. Still very usefull as trade bait, and picking twice in the first for four years is enticing.

So is he a Flyer yet or what?