The Shea Weber Watch

[E.L.]

So... Will Ed Snider play hardball in the CBA negotiations so that the players get locked out and Nashville is stuck with a $26M signing bonus to pay with no gate receipts?

Yes. Yes he will.

[Jyrki21]

I hope the Preds do what the Avs did when they matched the NYR offer sheet on Sakic all those years ago.

Which was...?

[Pokecheque]

I hope the Preds do what the Avs did when they matched the NYR offer sheet on Sakic all those years ago.

Which was...?

Charlie Lyons, then owner of the Avs, sent Neil Smith a framed photo of Nelson Rockefeller doing this:



Back then, the Avs actually had to sell equity in the not-yet-built Pepsi Center to come up with the cash to match.

[Pokecheque]

http://www.foxsportstennessee.com/07/25 ... eedID=3731" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pokecheque]

Goodbye Suter, hello Hannan.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=403262" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In all seriousness, why in an overinflated market two years running a guy like this has to settle for dirt cheap confuses the hell out of me. I certainly wasn't the biggest fan of his during his time in Colorado, but the guy can play.

[Pokecheque]

According to Josh Cooper, the post-Suter, post-Boullion defensive lineup will look something like this:

Weber - Josi
Klein - Hannan
Gill - Ellis

Don't know where Blum factors in.

Good luck with that, Rinne.

[Pokecheque]

And because you care so much about the Preds, here's the likely opening night lineup:

http://blogs.tennessean.com/predators/2 ... e-defined/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Kostitsyn-Fisher-Erat
Smith-Legwand-Hornqvist
Wilson-Gaustad-Halsichuk
McGrattan-Spaling-Yip

Josi-Weber
Hannan-Klein
Gill-Ellis

[E.L.]

They'll finish 5th somehow!

[scratchham]

I like Josi a lot, but he'd look better with Suter still on the team.

[Pokecheque]

Wow. The Preds ARE NOT gonna change their plan. In fact, they just doubled down on it.

Draft a dynamic young defenseman: Check
Sign a bunch of grinders to play forward in front of him: Check

Rinse and repeat.

It'll make for a better team, I'm sure. But a contender?

[Pokecheque]

NHL Radio reported a few days ago that the Oilers were inquiring about the services of Shea Weber. Haven't seen it posted anywhere else, but I can't help but feel that Weber wants out of Nashville.

[Bosc]

NHL Radio reported a few days ago that the Oilers were inquiring about the services of Shea Weber. Haven't seen it posted anywhere else, but I can't help but feel that Weber wants out of Nashville.

Of course if there are two teams to link Yakupov to, it's Nashville and Columbus.

[scratchham]

NHL Radio reported a few days ago that the Oilers were inquiring about the services of Shea Weber. Haven't seen it posted anywhere else, but I can't help but feel that Weber wants out of Nashville.

Of course if there are two teams to link Yakupov to, it's Nashville and Columbus.

Given Weber's substantial contract, you'd have to think Eberle would be heading the other way (since I can't imagine Hall/RNH being on the table at all).

[Jyrki21]

He doesn't have an NTC?

[Pokecheque]

He doesn't have an NTC?

By all reports, it wasn't included in Philly's offer sheet, so no. Nashville was only restricted from trading him the first year of the new deal.

[hammer]

NHL Radio reported a few days ago that the Oilers were inquiring about the services of Shea Weber. Haven't seen it posted anywhere else, but I can't help but feel that Weber wants out of Nashville.

Of course if there are two teams to link Yakupov to, it's Nashville and Columbus.

[Pokecheque]

He doesn't have an NTC?

So I looked it up on Capgeek, and according to them, no.

http://capgeek.com/predators" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting to see who does though. Gaustad? Really!?

[scratchham]

You can't get a NTC on an offer sheet. Probably an additional reason we don't see players sign them very often.

[Pokecheque]

Unfortunately that'll just continue to fuel speculation that Shea ain't happy in Nashville.

I have a bad feeling they're going to bounce back a bit next season. A lot of their failure was due to not having Rinne practically the entire season.