Andy Strickland’s rumor nugget about Predator’s captain Shea Weber wanting a shorter deal had Pred Nation in a tizzy yesterday. OK, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out… the way I see it, there are a couple of possibilities…
- Short term deal – A two-year deal would bring Shea Weber up to his UFA status, allowing him to have the option to look for a potential huge payday.
- Long term deal – Let’s use a nice round number, for argument’s sake, let’s say six. A six year deal would take Shea into his early 30’s and gives him stability no matter what happens with the new CBA and still give him the option for a big payday somewhere in 2017..
I’m not trying to over-simplify here, but I truly believe it comes down to those two options. The only other question is money, and given some of stupidity of David Poile’s fellow GM’s in what they have paid mid-level talent, the price of poker may have gone up. The elephant in the room on all of these options is 2012 and the negotiation of a new CBA. Neither party knows what that agreement will look like and neither party can predict the impact of whatever new guidelines are developed.
A shorter term deal may benefit both sides, the Predators could pay Shea Weber big bucks for two seasons… one under the old CBA and one under the new one, therefore limiting the long term impact of a huge deal should the new agreement be more restrictive, still giving the team the option to extend. Weber would benefit financially and be able to determine if the team is serious about putting a cup winning team together.
To this observer, the worst case scenario is that this thing ends up in arbitration, that would be a very bad sign. The Predators would maintain their captain for at least one more season, but it would be my belief that they would need to make plans for a future without Weber, should it get to this point.
The negotiations continue and Pred Nation is getting impatient. That’s understandable, but these things take time. The salary freeing moves that happened over the weekend only helped the situation… and while this goes on behind closed doors, Pred fans wait, and wonder…
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In a rather pathetic attempt to defend the indefensible, a member of the Canadian media, Steve Buffery, has come out saying that questioning Brian Burke’s decision to visit Canadian troops on Canada Day was right. Hmmm… if he didn’t work for the same paper I might give his opinion some credence.
Buffery states that Steve Simmons was just “doing his job.” Since when has then been an acceptable defense? Or here's another, even weaker defense that Simmons was just saying what “many people, particularly Leafs fans, were thinking.” Oh really? Now Simmons has the power to read Leafs fans minds?
The full-throated, highly coordinated defense of Simmons continues on the pages of the Toronto Sun’s Letters section, an interesting comment made by the editors on a published letter states that “No one ever questions Burke’s dedication to his team or Canadian or American troops.” Let’s take a look at that assertion; here are some direct quotes from Simmons sick screed…
- In referring to Burke not being in the meeting with Brad Richards he says that “Burke wasn’t in the meeting. He didn’t lead the presentation. He wasn’t there to answer the questions. He was busy posing for pictures with members of the Canadian Army.” That’s not questioning his dedication to his team, along with a high degree of snark?
- “He was putting his own self interests ahead of those of his team and their fan base” … so, that’s not questioning his dedication to Canadian or American troops?
- “One can interpret that his determination to go to Afghanistan on July 1 was less about hockey and more about being a figure of importance.” How insulting… accusing Burke of narcissism.
Then, in Buffery’s piece today, the writer calls Burke mean-spirited… using a pretty funny quip about the value of a Sun newspaper to illustrate it, and then complains about the “pretty easy ride” that Burke has supposedly received from the fans and the media in Toronto. Wow, and they say Philly is a tough media town.
The thing that bugs me the most is, in this time of easily checked facts and readily accessible information, most folks, when given a second chance, make things right. In this case, instead of apologizing for publishing this swill, or at the very least, shutting up and letting the whole thing blow over, Sun Media decides to double down, amp it up, and try to shift the blame…
Shame on them.
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Random Notes
- Nashville signed a new enforcer yesterday with free agent acquisition of Zack Stortini. We’ve seen a few of his battles. He will be needed given Chicago’s signing of Dan Carcillo… six meetings between these two teams may mean some fun between these two. :-)
- Sergei Kostitsyn protected his negotiating position yesterday by filing for arbitration. Complicating the negotiation with the mercurial Belarussian is the RFA qualifying offer controversy that is scheduled for an arbitration hearing on Friday. There is a very nice description of the arbitration process over at
On the Forecheck .
- Really nice piece from Josh Cooper on Ryan Ellis in today’s edition of
the Tennessean .
- Columbus continues to spend like a drunken sailor, Mark Methot getting a 4 for $12? Yikes…
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You are invited to follow me on Twitter. Search for @PredPAPaul… Not only will I be updating when I get news or updates, but we are having a bit of fun by getting your input on Gnash introductions, weigh in on Twitter and who knows, we may use your introduction for the best mascot in the NHL at the next Preds game!
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Coming up on July 13th, I will be hosting the Skate of the Union festivities at Bridgestone Arena. There will be all kinds of activities on the arena plaza including the official revealing of the new Predators home jersey. I’ll be hosting from 10am – 6pm, then I turn things over to Pete Weber and Terry Crisp to handle the big reveal… Make plans to join us!
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