Nashville Predators Match Offer Sheet To Captain Shea Weber

[WestEndVol]

Nashville, Tenn. (July 24, 2012) – In the most important hockey transaction in franchise history, Nashville Predators Chairman Tom Cigarran, President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile and CEO Jeff Cogen announced today that the team has matched the 14-year, $110 million offer sheet between the Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Shea Weber, insuring that the Predators' captain will remain with the franchise for the next 14 years.

The decision to enter into the largest contract in franchise history was made by all parts of the organization, including ownership, hockey operations and business operations.

As the organization analyzed the overall situation and worked toward a conclusion, the decision boiled down to three questions:

- Was Shea Weber the individual that this franchise wanted to lead our team, a team that would compete for the Stanley Cup every year, for the next 14 years?

- Would matching the offer sheet be in the best long-term interest of the team and organization?

- Would a decision not to match the offer sheet send a negative message to current Predators players and other NHL organizations, a message that the Predators would only go so far to protect its best players and be pushed around by teams with "deep pockets?"

The answer to each of the above questions is clearly “yes.” The organization spent the last several days analyzing all aspects of the offer sheet, from economic implications to the impact on the team hockey operations puts on the ice.


Most importantly was the reaction to whatever decision the organization reached and the impact it would have on our fans, sponsors and marketing partners. We wanted to insure that our decision reflected not just the feelings of these groups but also conveys a strong message to them that our actions would speak for us and demonstrate our commitment to them. It was absolutely essential that they understand and believe that we are doing everything possible to ice a Stanley Cup competing team each and every season.

With this decision behind us, we continue to focus on our mission: Develop Bridgestone Arena into the number one sports and entertainment facility in North America with a Stanley Cup-winning Nashville Predators team as the centerpiece. With Shea Weber in the fold for the next 14 years, we are closer to this mission, and will continue to contend for the Stanley Cup on an annual basis.

Cigarran, Poile and Cogen will be available for a media conference tomorrow at 1 p.m. CT on the Bridgestone Arena concourse to discuss the organization's decision.

There will be no further comment from the Predators until Wednesday's media conference.

Nashville Predators Team News - Nashville Predators - News

about freakin' time!

 

[SuperFlyer13]

Nashville Predators Team News - Nashville Predators - News

about freakin' time!

This just crippled your team for years and you're saying about time, lol..Still wondering how your gonna fill 6 more rooster spots with no money? The beginning of the end, sorry..

 

[jerseyjigroe]

This just crippled your team for years and you're saying about time, lol..Still wondering how your gonna fill 6 more rooster spots with no money? The beginning of the end, sorry..

 

[WestEndVol]

Philly did screw the Preds hard with that offer and I won't be surprised if the Preds took a step back for a few years, time for the young guys to step-up. It took a lot of balls to match, but Weber is the best player and should be treated like it. I'm still disappointed Poile shat the be the last time they tried to reach a deal, but losing Suter and Weber?... fuck that! :musky:

 

[WestEndVol]

*bed

 

[SuperFlyer13]

Not to pile on and be a dick, if the lockout happens, how would that work? Weber will still get paid and the Preds will be swimming, hope it doesn't happen but if your gm did this to save face he may have fucked up big time...

 

[WestEndVol]

Not to pile on and be a dick, if the lockout happens, how would that work? Weber will still get paid and the Preds will be swimming, hope it doesn't happen but if your gm did this to save face he may have fucked up big time...

That would be a big problem, so I definitely hope nothing like that would happen again. The Preds don't have the big super star players like several teams so I'm glad to see them try to hang on the the few that they do have. At least the younger guys like Blum, Ellis and Yosi; will still have Weber around to mentor them and learn from. Definitely going to be tough building around core pieces like Pekka Rinne, Mike Fisher and Shea Weber, while broke.

 

[Vadered]

Best of luck* to Weber. Would have loved to see him in orange and black, but you can't win 'em all. Hope Nashville uses this as a springboard to build on their recent success.

*Until we are playing you in the finals, where I hope you are swept.

 

[WestEndVol]

Best of luck* to Weber. Would have loved to see him in orange and black, but you can't win 'em all. Hope Nashville uses this as a springboard to build on their recent success.

*Until we are playing you in the finals, where I hope you are swept.

Thanks, I don't have anything against Philly so if that's where he would have ended up, I wouldn't have had a problem with it. It's part of the game and the Flyers were just doing what they had to do to be the best they can be.