If you take the Norris candidates' point totals and look at them as a percentage of their teams' offense - you get a clear picture of how important Weber is.


- holycow_75

Player % of Team Goals % of Team Points

Weber 9.6% 8.5%
Karlsson 9.2% 10.5%
Suter 3.8% 7.4%
Pietrangelo 2.8% 5.8%
Keith 1.3% 7.5%
Doughty 4.9% 6.6%
Chara 6.9% 4.6%

If I was a hockey writer, I would consider this. Weber & Karlsson are the tops in the league in each category. That looks like a pretty even split to me. So how would I break the tie? Look at intangibles. Time on Ice. Short-handed time, etc. That's where Weber stands out over Karlsson. But just because Duncan Keith has 50 points, doesn't mean he's anywhere near the best offensive defenseman...much less the "all around" type. He's scored 50 points on a team that has 220+ goals. How hard is that?

Add some Corsi Stats to prove Weber is the better all-round defenseman:

Player Offensive Zone Face Off% Defensive Zone Face Off %
Weber 29.3% 33.8%
Karlsson 34.5% 28.6%
Suter 35.7% 29.6%
Pietrangelo 33.2% 32.2%
Keith 33.6% 27.4%
Doughty 33.9% 30.9%
Chara 31.0% 33.2%

Of that list, only Weber and Chara start 33% of their shifts in the defensive zone. Weber takes the fewest offensive zone starts but is responsible for 9.6% of the team's goals (Yes, the Nashville Predators' forwards can be that bad).

Buffalo makes Nashville look like a playoff team. Good god they are awful.

Buffalo makes Nashville look like a playoff team. Good god they are awful.
- nikoli1206

If $$$ is an issue can a team interested in acquiring Shea not offer $$$ to replace some of the coin Nashville has payed him as part of his bonus? For example could EDM not offer something like Yakupov, Klefbom/Nurse, 1st in 2015, plus $15million if they thought it was fair? Not saying it's fair either way, but just an example. And would the ownership not think recouping 15 of the 26 or so paid in bonuses think fair for the 2 years of service he did give them? And EDM could think Shea is that piece that takes them to the next level and they'd make that extra 15 in playoff revenue after 10 years of not seeing a penny in that extra money. Personally, if I'm Nashville I really consider that deal. Not sure so much from EDM's perspective, but it's a example of something and a reason management in NSH could/would consider moving Weber. That doesn't even include revenue generated in new paraphenilia being sold to promote all said players. EDM fans would rejoice over finally having a Dman people had heard of, and NSH fans could be excited for a potential constant scoring threat (but would be buried in Trotz system) in Yakupov, a replacement for Weber in Klefbom/Nurse, and god knows who from the draft pick in one of the strongest drafts in memory. Could equal good returns in new jersey's and what not sold.

Thank You.
Glad you enjoyed your time here...
And yes, yes it is.
- buelleo

i've been there and hear it is a fantastic place to live, which is absolutely irrelevant in terms of what happens in the business world of a sports franchise. be pi$$ed all you want about what is said or insinuated, but i would remind of deals that looked like mortal locks when signed and the players were traded soon thereafter. bottom line is this: stranger things have happened than a gm publicly stating he won't trade a guy and then trading that guy.
btw, what is he supposed to say at a time when he couldn't trade him even if he wanted to?

BTW... I am ranting about what beat writers for various teams are speculating... not just "some guy"

Thanks for playing...
- pmccann

Call them out then. Name them. You guys post on Hockeybuzz, not the Wall Street Journal. Augello posted something about Weber potentially being moved the other day. Name him - he put it in the public domain. Don't rant about these beat writers and say they are making up rumours or speculating about deals - this whole website was built around speculation and accumulation of rumours from various sources.

I'm sure even Mr. Eklund has had Weber being moved in various rumours, no matter how unfounded. I don't think you get the point of this site.

Imagine how absurd the Gretzky trade would have sounded if it was put on the internet? Weber is great, but no GOAT. To use a cliche - if Gretzky can be traded, anyone can.

This is all nonsensical rantings until you are specific in your targets - allow them to defend their sources, etc.

And if you want to be taken seriously, spare us the "thanks for playing..." sarcasm when you are taken to task about what you write.

Glad you enjoyed your visit to Nashville. Nashville is a great city to live and work in.

Unfortunately, I believe there are two real reasons why Nashville cannot attract the top goal-scoring players needed to be competitive:
1)
2) Offensively talented forwards are not going to come to Nashville via free agency because of the defense first system that Trotz preaches. As a fan I know I am sick of the system choking the offensive creativity out of the forwards but it is play Trotz' system or sit in the press box. I'm sure Trotz watched the Canadians win Gold in Sochi with their defense first style and uses it to prove his "Defense wins Championships" mantra. Teams can't win championships on the wrong end of a 1-0 game.
- PredfaninNash

Don't you know we can defend our way to victory, that is the Trots philosophy. I think Trots believes, every game should end in 1-0.