[Offer Sheet Matched] SHEA WEBER SIGNS WITH PHILLY! 14 Years/100Mill!!!

[TK12555]

This scenario is plausible if :
1-Weber told Poile that he does not plan to play in Nashville after next season.
2-Poile, knowing he can't lose him for nothing, start to talk with other GMs but is asking for the moon.
3-Holmgren decides to put pressure on Poile by signing Weber to the offer sheet. He knows that Nashville could match, but gambles that they won't since the player stated that he would prefer to play elsewhere. Poile now has a week to lower his demands or to take the four 1st. He also could match the offer and retain an unhappy Weber for 14 years.

Speculation, but could be dead on.

He belongs to Philly. They cannot make a trade now.

[27Blue]

Yea cuz the preds were just waiting for someone like the flyers( a big market team) to offer weber a crazy contract so they could match? That makes no sense . This is gonna end with a sign and trade deal with probably two first rd picks goin to the preds and vorack who is also a RFA. BTW the flyers and nashville have history with trades remember scotty hartnell and kimo timonen? Dont think both those players have talked to weber about playing in philly?

no. the cba states a player cannot be traded for 12 month period in a offer sheet matching situation... no trades for one year if nashville matches and you have to think that if there is $26 million on the table for the first year, nashville is keeping him for EVER....

[hicks1784]

There is one more option that has not been discussed so far. During the week where the Preds can decide to match the offer, the two teams are also able to make a trade. So Weber can still be traded to Philadelphia for a better package than the four 1st.

Exactly! Theres no way nashville can match 26 mill in one calender year. That upfront money will be the deal breaker for nashville. The flyers offered the contract because now nashville can only trade weber to the flyers. The flyers essentially just narrowed the possible trade partners to .....well themselves lol And for those who are saying weber wants to play in nashville and end his career there....why did he sign the offer sheet? Just to force the preds to match it? Would You really wanna play for a team that needs to forced by another team to pay you what you wanted the whole time?

[Big Ev]

Yea cuz the preds were just waiting for someone like the flyers( a big market team) to offer weber a crazy contract so they could match? That makes no sense . This is gonna end with a sign and trade deal with probably two first rd picks goin to the preds and vorack who is also a RFA. BTW the flyers and nashville have history with trades remember scotty hartnell and kimo timonen? Dont think both those players have talked to weber about playing in philly?

How does it not make sense? They just got Weber locked up for his life without doing any negotiating. If this was the way to sign Weber, they got it done. If Weber really wanted out then he would have signed a short term deal that leads to being a UFA

[habs83]

no. by signing the offer sheet, weber is currently philly property.

You're right...re-read the CBA, and they can't trade him anymore. Was mislead by an article on NHL.com.

[27Blue]

Exactly! Theres no way nashville can match 26 mill in one calender year. That upfront money will be the deal breaker for nashville. The flyers offered the contract because now nashville can only trade weber to the flyers. The flyers essentially just narrowed the possible trade partners to .....well themselves lol And for those who are saying weber wants to play in nashville and end his career there....why did he sign the offer sheet? Just to force the preds to match it? Would You really wanna play for a team that needs to forced by another team to pay you what you wanted the whole time?

signing an offer sheet is just a business decision by the player. many players have taken this route. even david backes of my beloved blues. even joe sakic for goodness sake. it is just a business decison with the player acting in their best financial interest...

[Big Ev]

Exactly! Theres no way nashville can match 26 mill in one calender year. That upfront money will be the deal breaker for nashville. The flyers offered the contract because now nashville can only trade weber to the flyers. The flyers essentially just narrowed the possible trade partners to .....well themselves lol And for those who are saying weber wants to play in nashville and end his career there....why did he sign the offer sheet? Just to force the preds to match it? Would You really wanna play for a team that needs to forced by another team to pay you what you wanted the whole time?

Are you a Flyers fan by any chance? Nashville can match whatever the deal is. They have to in order to reach the floor and its not like they are paying a lot of money to any other players on their team except Rinne. They need Weber and will.pay to get him.

[Big Ev]

Seriously David Backed and Ryan Kesler are key guys on their teams and love playing in their respective cities even after signing an offer sheet with another team. Nobody cares after they get their money and term.

[Straight Chillin]

Fair points, Big Ev.

Of course, I hope you're wrong. haha

I think the structure of the contract will depend largely on if the preds match. I know you're saying the absolutely will, and I see your reasoning, but if they've been a team with an internal cap for a few years and have let some of their top talent walk, my hope is that the signing bonuses are out-of-this-world causing them to lose him.

What are the rules on bonuses? Is it a percentage?

[habs83]

You're right...re-read the CBA, and they can't trade him anymore. Was mislead by an article on NHL.com.

Well... after further review... not sure about this.

This is what Article 10.3 (b) of the CBA states : "Once an Offer Sheet for a Restricted Free Agent has been received by the Prior Club, the Prior Club may not Trade or otherwise Assign its Right of First Refusal for such Restricted Free Agent."

From my understanding, this only says that the team can't trade their right to match to another team.

What is making me doubt is this declaration in an article on NHL.com, where they are supposed to know about this stuff:

"If they Predators opt not to do so, they will receive a package of four first-round draft picks from the Flyers unless the teams work out a trade. "

Anyone with more insight?

[27Blue]

Well... after further review... not sure about this.

This is what Article 10.3 (b) of the CBA states : "Once an Offer Sheet for a Restricted Free Agent has been received by the Prior Club, the Prior Club may not Trade or otherwise Assign its Right of First Refusal for such Restricted Free Agent."

From my understanding, this only says that the team can't trade their right to match to another team.

What is making me doubt is this declaration in an article on NHL.com, where they are supposed to know about this stuff:

"If they Predators opt not to do so, they will receive a package of four first-round draft picks from the Flyers unless the teams work out a trade. "

Anyone with more insight?

a trade could be made, but it couldn't involve weber...
it would have to involve the cmpensation picks.
nashville could trade the compensation picks back to philly for predetermined players.
not likely, but this is an option.

[angelofharlem]

Not sure if the rules are different now, but once upon a time, the Flyers signed Chris Gratton to an offer sheet. Tampa accepted the 4 first round picks as compensation, but soon dealt the picks back to Philly for Mikael Renberg and Karl Dykhuis. So there's precedent for that kind of move.

[AtlantaSportsFan]

I love how people are asking "well why did he sign the offer sheet if he wants to be in Nashville?"

Remember Sakic?

Remember Backes?

Remember Kesler?

Remember Vanek?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...d_offer_sheets

Maybe the list will jog your memory.

[Noma]

If Claude Giroux wouldn't sign his contract extension before 1st of July next summer, how big offer sheet would Poile give to him? Vengeance is sweet.

[Straight Chillin]

Of course Weber wants to play in Nashville! He wouldn't have signed it if he didn't. He KNOWS that if they match he stays there for 14 years.

A professional athlete that is signing a career contract needs to be fully aware of all the possible outcomes in order to sign it in the first place. There is no way he signs it if he doesn't want to play in Nashville.