Bombshell: Flyers make offer to Weber; will Nashville match?
The Flyers hope they have found Chris Pronger’s successor.
Bombshell: Flyers make offer to Weber; will Nashville match?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers hope they have found Chris Pronger’s successor.
His name is Shea Weber, a 6-foot-4, 232-pounder who is arguably the game's best all-around defenseman.
They signed a 14-year offer sheet for a reported $110 million late Wednesday night for Weber, a restricted free agent with Nashville. Weber, owner of one of the game's hardest shots, had 19 goals and anchored Nashville's stellar defense last season.
The righthanded-shooting Weber scored 10 power-play goals last season, had a plus-21 rating and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, given to the league's top defenseman.
TSN was first to report Wednesday's stunning development.
If Nashville matches the offer, Weber, 26, remains with the Predators.
The Predators, who lost all-star defenseman Ryan Suter to free agency recently, have seven days to match.
If the Preds don’t match, the Flyers would have to give Nashville four first-round picks — reasonable for a player of Weber's stature.
After the season, the Flyers said it was “highly unlikely” the team would make an offer sheet to Weber, the Predators' captain.
That changed after the Flyers struck out with marquee free agents Zach Parise and Sutter. Both signed 13-year, $98 million deals with Minnesota.
NHL owners are trying to put a stop to mega-long-term contracts. They want the new CBA to limit contracts to five years.
It would be shocking, however, if the NHL's Players' Association agreed to that limit. The CBA expires on Sept. 15.
The Flyers' deal with Weber is apparently heavily loaded with upfront money — a reported $26 million signing bonus. Will Nashville, a small-market team, be able to afford such a hit?
Then again, can Nashville afford NOT signing Weber after failing to get Suter back in the fold? (Of the seven offer sheets that have been signed since 2005, six of the teams matched and retained their player's rights.)
According to multiple reports, Weber would receive $14 million in each of the first four seasons, and $12 million in the fifth and sixth years, followed by $6 million per season in years 7-10. He would get $3 million in his 11th year, and $1 million in each of his last three seasons.
TSN's Darren Dreger said Nashville was trying to work out a deal for Weber, but it is "believed several deadlines passed before the Flyers grew tired of waiting and Weber signed the offer sheet."
Give the Flyers credit for their boldness. If they land Weber, they would probably have the league's best defense, one that might look like this: Weber and Kimmo Timonen, his former Nashville teammate; Braydon Coburn and Nick Grossmann; and Andrej Meszaros and Luke Schenn.
Bruno Gervais, Erik Gustafsson, Marc-Andre Bourdon and Andreas Lilja would be among the candidates for the extra D-man spot.
By giving an offer sheet to Weber, the Flyers are, in a roundabout way, saying what everyone has feared — that Pronger's Hall-of-Fame career is over because of a concussion.
With Weber the Flyers would become instant Stanley Cup contenders.
Without him, they have not made improvement from the team that was eliminated in the second round of last season's Stanley Cup playoffs.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
The Preds are not gonna match...and truthfully they shouldn't. That's just too much money for a small market team, especially the way the contract is constructed (based on Frequent Flyers info). Plus, 4 1st round picks is some pretty hefty compensation for losing Weber. Looks as though it might be in the Preds best interest from a hockey standpoint and financial standpoint to move on...
And let Shea Weber become the newest member of Philadelphia Flyers! ...CanNOT wait for the season to start!- Why Nashville has to match: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/07/19/shea_weber_offer_sheet_philadelphia_flyers_nashville_predators/
- 4 first round picks isn't bad. Take for instance the flyers go deep or even make the playoffs each year. That puts their picks in the 20's atleast. Late first round picks i'd give anyday of the week for the web
— azguz - 4 first round picks isn't bad? That is easy to say if you don't bother with the facts.
Couturier, Sbisa, JVR, and Giroux are the Flyers last 4 first round picks (excluding this June).
The three before that were Downie, Richards, and Carter. First round picks are players in the NHL. Of the past 7 first round picks by the Flyers, 3 have been allstars.
— Hexy4GM - Got to love the Flyers willingness to do whatever it takes.......— Earl J
- I'm on board with this offer, Homer is on board with this offer, the team is on board with this offer, all Flyer fans are on board with this offer. Great move by Homer, instantly turning this defense into a top-ranked core. Hope this gets done and we can focus on our next move (locking up G long-term). Gotta give Homer credit for the bold moves he's tried to make this offseason. Wasn't really feeling the offers to Parise and Suter, but I am definitely digging this move. Weber will help this franchise bring home the cup.— the sichee-ation
- no downside for the Flyers. This guy is good, young, big, mean and nasty, plus he's a right handed shot from the point. Four late first rounders is not a bad price. Money wise Kimmo is off the books next year and as they say so is Pronger— squiller
- Sam
JVR for Schenn was a way of improving the team, the flyers were already stanley cup contenders, and pronger's unofficial retirement was accepted when he went screaming off the ice. Possibly signing the best free agent defenseman on the market for less than his own teammate would be a coup for the Flyers, 7 days will feel like an eternity
— tkohl - Genius move!!! cap hit is only 7.5, timm's # off books next year, front loaded contract. Brilliant move! Best defenseman in the game and a leader!— fman727
- What's not to like? But, if it stands, they have to shed some salary. Who? We haven't seen the other shoe drop.— Danno
- Love the move....Weber was born to be a Flyer! Only down side is 4 first round picks and kissing Nashville goodbye as ever trading w/ the Flyers ever again. I can live with both!— Tar Heel 1
- Went to the Tennessean website to get some perspective from the other side - they don't have anything on it. They probably don't even have a full time resource dedicated to hockey. Missing out on a story that broke late last night...Nashville doesn't deserve Weber. Welcome to Philly baby!— philly57
- Just went back there. They have a story with a headline stating the Preds have asserted they intend to match the Flyers' offer. However, the story does not reflect that at all. In the new statement in the story, the Preds only reiterated their previous statement, that they have always intended to match any offer. Then, with this offer, they say they will "review and evaluate it and all of its ramifications in order to make the best decision for the Predators in both the short and long-term.” If matching the offer was a slam dunk for them, as the headline states, there would be no decision to make.
- The best defense with Weber? Yeah, ok. Keep that Kool Aid cold fans, its hot in Philly.
- If Weber becomes a Flyer, your boy Cindy Crosby will have to resort to shooting from the blue line.
