Nashville just owned Weber thanks to the Flyers! It is a no brainer, they have to match, there is just no othery way to go about, he is worth it because someone was prepared to offer it. Isn't this less per year than what they are paying him now ? In terms of cap hit ? I know the signing bonus will suck, but you just have to suck it up and keep Weber

The signing bonus could really hurt Nashville, the question is can they shell out $19 million now if there's a strike ? Holmgren knows what he's doing.

I wasn't sure if there would be a strike before that, now I'm certain.

This reminds me somewhat of the Rangers offer to Sakic in 1997, they front loaded a contract thinking the Av's would be able to match it, but they ultimately did. The Avalanche had to find the resources to pay Sakic $17 million dollars the first year of the deal, Rangers thought they wouldn't be able to...thankfully they were wrong and Sakic remained in Colorado.

From a New York Time article about how Sakic changed the business of hockey.

"Sakic almost became a Ranger. Early in August 1997, a year removed from leading his team to the Stanley Cup, the 28-year-old Avs captain was a restricted free agent. The Rangers had just lost Mark Messier to free agency and Vancouver, so G.M. Neil Smith had extra money and took the bold and unorthodox step of signing Sakic to an offer sheet of $21 million over three seasons, more than doubling his salary.

But the Rangers were desperate to replace Messier, and the Avalanche were in financial trouble. As Joe Lapointe reported in The Times, they were playing in the outmoded McNichols Arena, had cash flow problems and had just signed Peter Forsberg to a two-year deal reportedly paying him $4 million and then $5 million, which was suddenly top dollar for its time.

The Times’ Richard Sandomir reported that Ascent Entertainment, owners of the Avs and the N.B.A. Nuggets, had “lost $36 million on revenues of $258 million. For the three months ending March 31, Ascent lost another $17.6 million.”

So the Avs seemed like an easy target, and to make it tougher on them, Smith front-loaded the proposed deal, offering Sakic a $15 million signing bonus in addition to his $2 million annual salary. It meant Sakic would be due $17 million for the 1997-98 season. The Rangers would have to forfeit their next five first-round draft picks to Colorado, which Smith was prepared to do. Avs had a week to match the offer and keep Sakic".

Yep. An offer sheet is just a contract. The difference between the deals that Suter and Parise signed and the one Weber did is Nashville can match the deal or get compenstaion for him.
- Jsaquella

Actually you are wrong. Only the money part will be obligated by the Preds. The nmc/ntc do not follow an offer sheet if matched.

If thats the case, I promise that the league will veto the offer sheet a la Kovalchuk.....
- chompsey

That's what I was thinking. If this contract smells, Gary has to void it given state of CBA negotiations. Isn't Snider on his negotiating committee?

something fishy about this just from Weber's POV...

if you dont want to be in NSH, why would you sign a 14 year deal and give Nashville the final word?

Why not either play one more season in NSH and head to UFA or demand a trade to a team that you would play for long term...?
- SuperHenderson13

The unknown about the CBA and the lack of signing bonuses......is probably what prompted this

Semin is close

If Poile trades Weber knowing he cant resign him ,does that mean the team that acquired him also as to match that offer in the prescribed time?

Eklund: FLYERS OFFER SHEET SHEA WEBER
- Eklund

so I guess he will be a flyer or a pred

interesting that he would risk having to stay with the preds long term instead of waiting a year and going wherever he wants

The question is how big is the signing bonus? I suspect it is very large, otherwise the Preds would have matched already. It is not ioutside the realm of possibility that there is no hockey this year. If the Flyers offered $30-$40 million in the first year, that could be a real problem for the Preds. The Flyers have placed the Preds between a rock and a hard place. Obviously, the Flyers deal was way better than what the Preds were offering. What makes anyone think they'd now be willing to match what Philly is offering?

My thinking is that the Flyers wind up with Weber and there is a secondary trade where the Preds get one or two forwards and a defenceman.

Great deal for Weber. He'd have probably gotten screwed in the new CBA. Another gutsy move by the Flyers. You can't say they aren't trying.

This says the Flyers don't expect Pronger to resume his career.

TSN reported in its video update that a number of deals were in place between Nashville and a bunch of clubs, like 4 or 5 or something, and that Philly grew impatient and threw the Offer Sheet down

totally throws out EKs theory that the Best Friends Forever GMs planned this to have Weber stay in Nashville... then TSN says the Daren Dreger tweeted there was talk that Weber could make $26million in one year !

crazy !

The question is how big is the signing bonus? I suspect it is very large, otherwise the Preds would have matched already. It is not ioutside the realm of possibility that there is no hockey this year. If the Flyers offered $30-$40 million in the first year, that could be a real problem for the Preds. The Flyers have placed the Preds between a rock and a hard place. Obviously, the Flyers deal was way better than what the Preds were offering. What makes anyone think they'd now be willing to match what Philly is offering?

My thinking is that the Flyers wind up with Weber and there is a secondary trade where the Preds get one or two forwards and a defenceman.

Great deal for Weber. He'd have probably gotten screwed in the new CBA. Another gutsy move by the Flyers. You can't say they aren't trying.

This says the Flyers don't expect Pronger to resume his career.
- JJBraccili

I think it was Chris Terreri on xm the other day

he thought pronger was done and said he is no better now then he was right after the injury

If Poile trades Weber knowing he cant resign him ,does that mean the team that acquired him also as to match that offer in the prescribed time?
- Alexzanki

Weber is going to get what's in the Flyers deal no matter what. What could happen is that the Preds match and then trade him.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/...-nashville-predators.html

Apparently he signed .. I think this is from 2am EST this morning.

TYPICAL PHILADELPHIA ATTITUDE...FTW

Man!!! Can you imagine what Gardiner will get in a few years? Ouch!
- fidopro

Has PK Subban won any of his Habs fan promised Norris trophies yet?

If you retired with a 35+ contract you get the money.
- Pomegrant

No, if you retire, you don't get the money, but the cap hit stays.

14 years??

Has PK Subban won any of his Habs fan promised Norris trophies yet?
- prock

ha ha! you do realise this is his third season right?

Weber for Giroux,thats what nashville should be asking for .Franchise player for franchise player

I believe there is some clause in the CBA for offer sheets that prevents a team from trading a player for like 1 year after the signing.

He won't be in Philly. Not a chance. Nashville has tons of cap space and will resign him. This just expedited the process. If Nashville doesn't resign him, they won't be a play-off team for several years. It's pretty darn simple. Four first round picks isn't a good return for Weber.

HAHAHAHA from broad street -

"Meanwhile, here's Paul Holmgren this morning........

To the dopes saying match & trade him in a year.

Yeah, match it & pay out $26million for the 1st year (a quarter of his 14yr 100mil in ONE season) & then trade him and expect to get more than 4 first round picks. Smh - yeah, good call. Someone should give you a GM job.

Enough with the ignorant Flyers cap comments - they can afford him - whether or not a 14 year deal is wise is another issue. This guy had at least one concussion that we know of - they say the 3rd concussion is when you enter the DANGER zone.

The phillies are a big market/big money team unlike Nashville. They could keep Cole Hamels, but then they probably can't afford to upgrade at 3B, LF, CF, & the bullpen. Having one star and all those holes - how's that working out for our baseball team this year? Guy who said they'd have Weber & a bunch of 3rd & 4th liners made a good point. Yeah, "keep Weber and the fans will keep coming". See how long that lasts when you're in last place b/c you can't afford anybody around him.

Claude Giroux, Mike Richards - these guy were picked in the 20's. The Preds picks would be top 5 after losing Weber and they'd have late 1st rounders in the 20's from the Flyers. They could build a young core of 6-8 great players over the next four years. That's how dynasties are built in sports. Then those players are so cheap you have $ to spend on FA & you already have the goalie.

The Flyers do the same damn thing every year - throwing huge $ at a free agent & now they're throwing huge $ at a RFA and also giving up 4 1st round picks. He's a helluva player but that's a HUGE commitment/risk. I thought we were turning things around last year building a young core with Schenn/Couturier/Voracek/Simmonds. Looks like we're going back to throwing money around - how many cups has that gotten us?