D day looming in Nashville

[pharling]

The General Manager of the Nashville Predators David Poile has some big decisions to make on his two top defensemen Shea Weber and Gary Suter. Weber will become a restricted free agent on July 1, while Suter becomes an unrestricted free agent. Can Poile resign both players?

Read the entire article here: http://fantasyhockeynerd.blogspot.co...ille.html#more

[maya has the knife]

When did Gary Suter come out of retirement? Someone should tell Ryan...

[pharling]

Oh dear. Guess that shows I am an old school fan.
And now I feel shame.

[Dakkster]

Oh dear. Guess that shows I am an old school fan.
And now I feel shame.

I wouldn't. Gary Suter was awesome

[Seeler]

I don't know but it seems to me that moving Suter makes a lot of sense, especially now that Suter has made it clear he's not interested in negotiating mid-season.

Let's face it, as good as their defense is, they need to put the puck in the net to compete earnestly in the playoffs. Time to move him for some offensive help. A predictable second round exit then losing him as a FA shouldn't be an option left to chance.

Also think Philly is ultimately the best fit with their high-end depth at center.

[Riverboat Danglers]

I would love to see this guy come to EDM but I just dont know if that will happen. I know there will be 29 teams interested in Suter because hes that guy that every team needs. When Weber went down he really elevated his game and every game I have seen NSH play he is easily the most sound and responsible dman out there and he makes amazing first passes out of his zone. He maybe one of the best 2 way guys in the game right now.

[pharling]

I don't know but it seems to me that moving Suter makes a lot of sense, especially now that Suter has made it clear he's not interested in negotiating mid-season.

Let's face it, as good as their defense is, they need to put the puck in the net to compete earnestly in the playoffs. Time to move him for some offensive help. A predictable second round exit then losing him as a FA shouldn't be an option left to chance.

Also think Philly is ultimately the best fit with their high-end depth at center.

I agree they could use an injection of offense, but I dont think they need to offer Suter or Weber to get it. Theu have excellent defense prospects such as Ellis, Josi, Laakso, and Blum is only 20.
I am sure they could put together a package and acquire a player like Hemsky, or Prospal while parting with very little, or parting with some of those prospects and perhap a roster player and picks for a higher caliber player such as Sam Gagner or P.A. Parenteau etc.
It would go along way in selling staying in Nashville to Suter/Weber!

[kovalchuk17]

any team could use weber or suter on their team. both are still fairly young and will have the ability to choose their team when they are unrestricted free agents. suter is up first lol

[Maaaasquito]

I don't think they can re-sign both... At least not with Rinne getting the money that he's going to be getting... At the end of the day the Preds are a small market team, and they're always going to have to maximize wins with a low payroll... Even though the salary cap is a $64.3 mil, they have an internal cap budget of roughly $50 mil.

According to Capgeek, they spent around $50 mil in 2008-09, around $44.2 mil 2009-10, $50.9 last season... and they're right around $50 mil this season.

Next year they've spent about $32.7 mil for 9 forwards, 3 D and Rinne... I'm guessing they let Yip and McGrattan walk... But you're probably looking at $3 mil for SK and Wilson and maybe $2 for Tootoo, so that's $8mil gone, and bumps it up to $40.7 mil, now you got the D, Weber is RFA so if there were any offers they could at least have an opportunity to match, I could see him getting a similar deal as this year $7.5 mil, which would bump it up to $48.2 mil, which leaves $1.8 to sign Suter, Boullion, a 6th D and Lindback...

So I'm guess you can all be set it in stone that Suter is gone at the deadline... They made the decision to walk on Suter when they signed Rinne to that contract.

Now before everyone hits the panic button, the thing is this always happens to the Preds, they always lose their goalies and D and still bounce back perfectly fine, because Trotz is a tremendous coach and Poille is one of the best talent evaluators in the business that they have plenty of back up plans in place for this exact situation...

Goalies
2006-07: Mason, Vokoun
2007-08: Vokoun moved replaced with Ellis
2008-09: Mason moved replaced with Rinne
2009-10: Same tandem
2010-11: Ellis moved replaced with Lindback
2011-12: Same tandem
2012-13: Same tandem (if Lindback re-signs) or Rinne with Jeremy Smith (18-12-1, 2.33 GAA and .914 with Milwaukee in AHL) (if Lindback walks)

Defenseman
2005-06: Timonen, Zidlicky, Hamhuis, Suter, Weber
2006-07: Timonen, Zidlicky, Weber, Suter, Hamhuis
2007-08: Zidlicky, Suter, Hamhuis, Weber
2008-09: Weber, Hamhuis, Suter
2009-10: Weber, Suter, Hamhuis, Franson
2010-11: Weber, Suter, Franson, Blum
2011-12: Weber, Suter, Josi, Blum, Ellis, Hillen
2012-13: Weber, Ellis, Josi, Blum, Hillen, Laakso (plus whatever D they can get in the Suter trade)

I think they've learned something from the Hamhuis situation... They were thinking that he would re-sign, so they hung onto him past the deadline and managed to land Parent from the Flyers... Suter is much more valuable than Hamhuis. I don't think they can afford gambling again and risk moving him for just a raw prospect and conditional draft picks for the rights to negotiation this off-season.

Plus Suter would command a large price at the deadline that they'll get at least a defensive prospect plus offensive help and probably a 1st rounder back too...

Losing Suter wouldn't be the end of the world for the Preds....