$25 million for 1 year can break Nashville and Philly knows it just over 36 hrs till this is all over ..... waiting sucks
- flyer186

Things have worked in Nashville's favor the last couple of days.

Now New York has added Nash, they have escalated the war.. Lots of pressure now on Philly to make a big splash.

If Nashville gets one of Couture or Schenn, a top 4 D Man, and a 1st (2013) and 2nd , you take it. If not you match and move on.

Not if they do better than what Columbus just accepted.

Voracek, Mez, Read, 2 first sounds pretty damn good, maybe too good.

I think the original offer was closer to Read, Mez, Bourdon, and 2 first. I prefer that of course.
- flyers2001

I would rather do this than match.
PHI can watch him shoot a 100 mph shot wide.

Which is why any trade with Philadelphia will be looked upon as a loss for Nashville. They have to match.
- Predaceous

Thats not totally true.....Shea is a huge piece....But If Wayne Gretzky can be traded then anyone can.

The good news is the Flyers were able to get him to sign a contract ....so all the hard work is done.....You can thank us later if you choose to match!!!

Not if they do better than what Columbus just accepted.

Voracek, Mez, Read, 2 first sounds pretty damn good, maybe too good.

I think the original offer was closer to Read, Mez, Bourdon, and 2 first. I prefer that of course.
- flyers2001

I'm sure it does sound good to you. It'll probably be acceptable to some of the die-hards, but most will look at it and see that we didn't get the value we needed for Weber, and that's still a PR disaster for this team.

What people tend to forget is that this isn't just about Weber or the money. It's about credibility. Keeping teams from poaching our RFAs in the future. It's also about losing Ryan Suter. How do you tell the fans that you want a Stanley Cup then go out and lose two of your three best players?

Too much is at stake for these owners. They've made wayyyy too many quotes stating that we won't lose players because of money or that they'll match any offer sheet to not do it when their highest profile players is involved.

Things have worked in Nashville's favor the last couple of days.

Now New York has added Nash, they have escalated the war.. Lots of pressure now on Philly to make a big splash.

If Nashville gets one of Couture or Schenn, a top 4 D Man, and a 1st (2013) and 2nd , you take it. If not you match and move on.
- fsanford

Those pieces won't be included. It's the main reason an offer sheet was extended to begin with.

Insurance.
- nfph

That bonus money is uninsurable!

Only 2 options....

1. Match it

2. Dont match - get the 4 picks - trade the 4 picks back to PHI for Schenn, Schenn, Couturier & pick
Make an offer for Franson
Sign Wilson
Fisher is "C" with an extension
Make Gill & Leggy "A"
Sign Colaiacovo

$26 MILLION in 1 year is nuts for this team.
- buelleo

hahahaha

Only 2 options....

1. Match it

2. Dont match - get the 4 picks - trade the 4 picks back to PHI for Schenn, Schenn, Couturier & pick

Make an offer for Franson
Sign Wilson
Fisher is "C" with an extension
Make Gill & Leggy "A"
Sign Colaiacovo

$26 MILLION in 1 year is nuts for this team.
- buelleo

if I was the predators. Would demand one of B Schenn or Coutourier, but you ain't getting both. The Schenn bros and Reed/Vorecek. Or Coutourier, Reed and Vorecek.

hahahaha
- flyershockey

Agreed, but its gonna cost you on of Coutourier and B Schenn, but not both.

High School hockey in Md TN has gotten as big as it's going to get, imo. There is no ice available (at reasonable times) to accommodate the practice and game schedules for more than 17 or 18 teams. You may have 4 or 5 kids on a roster that are passionate enough to practice at 10:30 on a Thursday night in Franklin or maybe 5:00 Sunday evening but for the most part your not going to get teams taking those times, and that's about all there is. There are also issues with player eligibility and roster limitations that are being imposed by GNASH, USA Hockey and trying to follow TSSAA guidelines even though it's not a TSSAA sanctioned sport. HS hockey in TN has a lot of challenges.

There are some really devoted parents and administrators that want to keep it growing but there are some serious challenges to address to keep HS hockey viable.
- coaster28

Agree.
The kids that are talented enough will continue to play travel with hopes of getting noticed.
The "truly" talented will leave the State for more opportunities.
H.S. hockey isn't bad but probably the most talented group was in 2006/2007. I believe they also had approx. 20 teams then.

On another note; Paul's article on Univ. of Huntsville trying to maintain a Div. 1 status. Good Luck. Huntsville had opportunities to grab some very talented local kids a few years ago (Nic Dowd being one) and they passed. This group would have provided more butts in seats and some great marketing opportunities as well.
Unfortunate.

Only 2 options....

1. Match it

2. Dont match - get the 4 picks - trade the 4 picks back to PHI for Schenn, Schenn, Couturier & pick

Make an offer for Franson
Sign Wilson
Fisher is "C" with an extension
Make Gill & Leggy "A"
Sign Colaiacovo

$26 MILLION in 1 year is nuts for this team.
- buelleo

I think you guys would want to keep two of the picks, and I can't see Homer giving both Schenn's and Couturier. If that was the deal, it'd be done by now IMO.

I'm sure it does sound good to you. It'll probably be acceptable to some of the die-hards, but most will look at it and see that we didn't get the value we needed for Weber, and that's still a PR disaster for this team.

What people tend to forget is that this isn't just about Weber or the money. It's about credibility. Keeping teams from poaching our RFAs in the future. It's also about losing Ryan Suter. How do you tell the fans that you want a Stanley Cup then go out and lose two of your three best players?

Too much is at stake for these owners. They've made wayyyy too many quotes stating that we won't lose players because of money or that they'll match any offer sheet to not do it when their highest profile players is involved.
- Predaceous

My question to you is this. If the owners have the money and are serious, how has Weber not been signed before RFA? Did Suter just walk because he didn't want to be here anymore? Or were they being low balled?

Agreed, but its gonna cost you on of Coutourier and B Schenn, but not both.
- Bieksa#3

homer wont make the trade if either of them are involved. if that means the preds match, so be it. if he was going to include either of them a deal probably would have been done before the offer sheet.

No more than they would have gone up anyway. They still have to spend money on the roster. They still have to reach the cap floor. They said they were planning on being a cap team. This doesn't change any of that. It's just another tool. They'll need to be a little creative with other contracts, but so what? So some guys get a bit less now and see their money gradually increase as Weber's dollars start to come down. Not all of their contracts are going to be like Rinne's where it's a straight amount over the term of the deal.

Btw, you don't give a rock-head like Legwand the 'A'. You give it to Erat.
- Predaceous

So you think they are dropping 26 mill over the next year and prices will not increase? How do you restructure or get creative with contracts in the NHL? This is not the NFL. You sign a deal and thats it.

You don't think this is going to impact their ability to sign other players and remain competitive?

Signing Weber will require sacrifices from ownership, management and yes you the fans.

I think you guys would want to keep two of the picks, and I can't see Homer giving both Schenn's and Couturier. If that was the deal, it'd be done by now IMO.
- Hextall271

As others have said, there is no way Court is in this trade. The kid outplayed Malkin in the playoffs last year in the first year of his rookie contract.

It would have happened already. Weeks ago.

This was the impetuous behind the offer sheet. I don't blame Nash for demanding him and the Flyers for not wanting to give him up.

You guys would have been better off if the team just moved and you didn't have to put up with this crap. I wonder how happy Mike Fisher is now...
Moved to Nashville for a chick... a really hot and rich chick... but his hockey is going to suffer for the love of a woman.... a really hot and rich woman.

For me, I think Nashville would be better off not matching and taking the four picks. It doesn't sound like Philly is willing to give up the value in a trade. And let's be honest... Four first round picks is nothing to sneeze at. Even with Weber, I don't think Philly's line-up is the best in the East. And with Bryz in net, who knows where those picks could be. Save the money to be able to improve your team top to bottom... not just for one player.

My question to you is this. If the owners have the money and are serious, how has Weber not been signed before RFA? Did Suter just walk because he didn't want to be here anymore? Or were they being low balled?
- Hextall271

Circumstances are very different from when they initially tried to sign Weber.

1. Fritch has come into many more millions over the last year because of Cigna buying Healthspring.
2. W. Brett Wilson was not part of the ownership group then
3. The market has changed considerably since the original negotiations.
4. Weber initially wanted a 3 year contract. Preds wanted him for longer.
5. Weber also wanted to wait and see what Suter did. We know how that turned out.

Suter left to be closer to his wife's family, and to have the chance to play with Parise. That had been speculated about since at least last January. I'm not sure how Poile didn't clue in.

I don't think they were being lowballed, but I guarantee they weren't being offered the ridiculous bonus money that's on each of their contracts right now.

Only 2 options....

1. Match it

2. Dont match - get the 4 picks - trade the 4 picks back to PHI for Schenn, Schenn, Couturier & pick

Make an offer for Franson
Sign Wilson
Fisher is "C" with an extension
Make Gill & Leggy "A"
Sign Colaiacovo

$26 MILLION in 1 year is nuts for this team.
- buelleo

Schenn + Schenn + Pick
or
Mesz + Couturier + Pick

These are likely, and what it will take for Nashville to allow Weber to go, but no way you get all of them.

So you think they are dropping 26 mill over the next year and prices will not increase? How do you restructure or get creative with contracts in the NHL? This is not the NFL. You sign a deal and thats it.

You don't think this is going to impact their ability to sign other players and remain competitive?

Signing Weber will require sacrifices from ownership, management and yes you the fans.
- acmilano3

I never said that, but the fact is that the season ticketholders prices are already locked in for the next two years at least. I also expect the new CBA to provide some relief where this contract is concerned, so I don't think it will be the burden everyone else thinks it is.

I also didn't say restructure. I'm talking about guys they sign from here on out. Guys like Wilson who will be paid much more in a few years than they're going to get right now. You balance out the contracts actual payments while keeping a tab on the cap.

Well obviously Paul didnt read too much into John Boruks article. He even stated in his own article that the ownership changed since he wrote for the team. Second and more importantly, he stated how the Preds just got out of debt from the previous owners and whether they can risk that much in the first year with weber. You obviouls just like to write things to make the Pred fans easy at heart. You know and i know that the match wont happen. ITs gonna go back to philly sending a few players (Voracek/Read, Mezsaros, Bourdon) back to Nashville and Flyers will end up with Weber!! Holmgrens too smart to make an offer and wait!!!

Circumstances are very different from when they initially tried to sign Weber.

1. Fritch has come into many more millions over the last year because of Cigna buying Healthspring.
2. W. Brett Wilson was not part of the ownership group then
3. The market has changed considerably since the original negotiations.
4. Weber initially wanted a 3 year contract. Preds wanted him for longer.
5. Weber also wanted to wait and see what Suter did. We know how that turned out.

Suter left to be closer to his wife's family, and to have the chance to play with Parise. That had been speculated about since at least last January. I'm not sure how Poile didn't clue in.
I don't think they were being lowballed, but I guarantee they weren't being offered the ridiculous bonus money that's on each of their contracts right now.
- Predaceous

That's why they had made offers to both Suter and Parise, so my question is, if they were willing to take on big contracts for both these guys, why at this point would they not match Phillys offer sheet for Weber???!!!

Well obviously Paul didnt read too much into John Boruks article. He even stated in his own article that the ownership changed since he wrote for the team. Second and more importantly, he stated how the Preds just got out of debt from the previous owners and whether they can risk that much in the first year with weber. You obviouls just like to write things to make the Pred fans easy at heart. You know and i know that the match wont happen. ITs gonna go back to philly sending a few players (Voracek/Read, Mezsaros, Bourdon) back to Nashville and Flyers will end up with Weber!! Holmgrens too smart to make an offer and wait!!!
- BernieKorch

Philly fans dreaming when they think they are getting the best Dman in the NHL for the next decade for scraps. It isn't happening. Canes fans thought the same thing of Jordan Staal because of outside factors, it didn't happen.

In the end you will have to pay. One of Schenn or Couturier plus more will be going the other way. Have to give to get.

That's why they had made offers to both Suter and Parise, so my question is, if they were willing to take on big contracts for both these guys, why at this point would they not match Phillys offer sheet for Weber???!!!
- MnGump

I think they will match it. It's pretty much in the range that everyone thought it was going to be, and the cap hit is pretty friendly. The one and ONLY item on this offer sheet that makes anyone pause is the bonus money, but it doesn't matter. Whether it's salary or bonus they said they were prepared to pay him. Now they need to back up their statements.

I think they will match it. It's pretty much in the range that everyone thought it was going to be, and the cap hit is pretty friendly. The one and ONLY item on this offer sheet that makes anyone pause is the bonus money, but it doesn't matter. Whether it's salary or bonus they said they were prepared to pay him. Now they need to back up their statements.
- Predaceous

My only reason to really disagree is simple.....Why didn't the Pred"s offer up something to this effect in the first place????Im sure its a question he will have to answer to ownership ...unless they don't have the $ to do it?
Or were they hoping they could get to the new CBA and a more friendly enviroment?
If it wasn't the Flyers I am 100 % sure the Rangers would have made a simular offer....As soon as Shea went out Poile's game of Chicken cost the organization.
Now we wait to see what it cost? $ or your captain...