[Article] -Shea Weber could be a Canuck after Wild deals for Parise, Suter

[The-Impersonator]

Botchford is such an idiot. The guy has no credibility or respect in the media or any where. Just a cry baby trying make a name for himself and a first class jerk. If you've heard him on the radio and how he treats the others on the show you'll know what I mean. I've called him out several times but the dude has no bal|$ to respond.

[Lonny_Bohonos_14]

How pissed off do you think Rinne is right now

[VanGnome]

The fact that horrible blogging constitutes actual journalism is pathetic. If I were a writer I would be pissed, this asshat makes a mockery of not just sports writing, but the entire profession.

Who is the editor that is approving this drivel to actually make publishing? I'd rather Botchford went on a paid 3 month leave of absence each off season, just so I wouldn't have to be trolled like this.

And the media conglomerate of Post Media wonders why they never get my money.

[Ghostsof1915]

As great as Weber is, using Edler to get him weakens our defense. The only way this works is if Connauton and Tanev turn out to be all-star defensemen out of training camp. And I think that's a little too much to ask. Even if we offered a 1st, Edler and Ballard, and Raymond. I'm pretty sure that would just be a starting price. Nashville will want as much as they can before trading him.

My question is, say Weber signs for 1 year in Nashville. Then he becomes a UFA next year.

What is he going to want as a contract? We don't even know if there will be limits on term, or what the cap will look like?

[ro0]

Letting Edler walk and signing Weber really isn't that much of an advantage - Weber will be at the end of his peak by the end of next season whereas Edler will just be starting to come into his prime.

In the long-term, signing Garrison was a mistake for 4.6 million but it makes sense for next season. Ideally, we find a way to trade Ballard for picks (cap dump) and sign Edler for 5.5 million. He'll probably command 6 million after a 50-60 point season anyway.

That's around 27 million just on defence. If we still have both goalies locked up for 9 million, that leaves just 35ish million on our forwards and we'll have to sign Burrows to a bigger, 4M contract. It is actually quite do-able, even if the cap roof stays at 70M.

Sedin (6.1M) - Sedin (6.1M) - Burrows (4M)

Booth (4.2M) - Kesler (5M) - Higgins (3M)

Raymond (2M) - Lapierre (2M) - Hansen (1.3M)

Kassian (870K) - Gaunce/Ebbett (700K) - Volpatti (700K)

Edler (6M) - Weber (7M)

Bieksa (4.6M) - Hamhuis (4.5M)

Garrison (4.6M) - Tanev (2M)

Schneider (4M)

Luongo (5.3M)

All together thats around 74 million. If the cap roof does extend then MG is a genius and will be able to make it all fit, but Garrison suddenly becomes the new Ballard and one of our goalies have to be moved as a cap dump or for picks because we can't take on any more salary. Still, that is a Cup-winning team right there.

[arsenalian]

Letting Edler walk and signing Weber really isn't that much of an advantage - Weber will be at the end of his peak by the end of next season whereas Edler will just be starting to come into his prime.

[VanGnome]

As great as Weber is, using Edler to get him weakens our defense. The only way this works is if Connauton and Tanev turn out to be all-star defensemen out of training camp. And I think that's a little too much to ask. Even if we offered a 1st, Edler and Ballard, and Raymond. I'm pretty sure that would just be a starting price. Nashville will want as much as they can before trading him.

My question is, say Weber signs for 1 year in Nashville. Then he becomes a UFA next year.

What is he going to want as a contract? We don't even know if there will be limits on term, or what the cap will look like?

[Boudrias]

As great as Weber is, using Edler to get him weakens our defense. The only way this works is if Connauton and Tanev turn out to be all-star defensemen out of training camp. And I think that's a little too much to ask. Even if we offered a 1st, Edler and Ballard, and Raymond. I'm pretty sure that would just be a starting price. Nashville will want as much as they can before trading him.

My question is, say Weber signs for 1 year in Nashville. Then he becomes a UFA next year.

What is he going to want as a contract? We don't even know if there will be limits on term, or what the cap will look like?

[John.Tallhouse]

I know all this Weber talk is getting a little redundant but I thought this article shed some positive light on the posibility of a trade to Van city.

The Province:

There was nothing wrong with the collective knee-jerk response locally to news that both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter had signed in Minnesota.

All of the people who pointed out, again and again, that the chase for those Northwest Division championship hats just got more difficult for the Canucks were on point.

But it doesn’t take much to put a positive spin on the moves from the Vancouver point of view.

For one, it’s better Parise is in Minny for this upcoming season than, say, Chicago.

And better Suter is in the so-called of State of Hockey rather than Hockeytown, Detroit.

The Canucks are built to win now and the Wild remain something of a work-in-progress. It’s likely a couple years yet before the Wild could be one of the favourites in the Western Conference.

So, the powerhouses are no better because of it. Yes, we can see that is spin. But that’s one way to view this as good news over at The Roge.

And if we’re already in full spin, here’s even better news: The Wild deals mean Shea Weber is coming to Vancouver.

All right, that’s just an ongoing dream of many Canucks fans. But Nashville GM David Poile sure couldn’t do anything to pop their collective bubble.

Poile expressed frustration and exasperation with Suter leaving. One media member accurately told him he sounded like he just got hit with a jackhammer.

Obviously, he was crushed, and still in disbelief that Suter had left Tennessee. Poile even suggested Suter had lied, while calling out his agent, Neil Sheehy, who Poile claimed promised him this in November: “[suter] is not going anywhere else. He’s signing with the Nashville Predators.”

That didn’t work out so well.

So, Suter joins Dan Hamhuis as big-time defencemen the Predators recently lost for essentially nothing. Could Weber, currently an RFA set to become a UFA next summer, be next?

It goes without saying fans from just about every other city in the NHL hope so.

In Vancouver, the burn for Weber is especially acute. He’s the type of player the Canucks have never had, and one who grew up in B.C. and played junior in Kelowna.

He may be considered the missing piece in Vancouver, but he is also the type of player the Predators’ entire organization is built around.

Poile said he’s doing two things next: One, looking for Suter’s replacement and two, doing everything he can to re-sign Weber.

But he did admit that just became a whole lot more difficult.

“Speaking for Shea, he certainly hoped Ryan would re-sign,” Poile said.

“I know if Ryan had re-signed it would have been a lot easier to have Shea make a commitment.

“I have to find out [if he wants to stay] now. I’ve already talked to Shea’s representative about a longer-term contract.

“The process and the timing was, everyone wanted to see what came down on the Suter situation.”

Has he considered trading Weber if he won’t go for a longer-term deal because of Suter leaving?

“You have to let me play out the process,” Poile said. “This has all happened, like 15 minutes ago. I haven’t talked to Shea today or his representatives.

“I have to get on to see if there is an opportunity to replace Suter with another defenceman. You have to allow me the opportunity to talk to Shea and you have to allow Shea and his representatives some time to decide what is the right thing to do moving forward.

“[Weber] is the guy we want to build our team around. He’s at the top of his game. He’s a Norris Trophy finalist. He knows what we think of him and we want him to be in Nashville for years to come.”

If Weber doesn’t want the same, you can understand why he may push for a trade this summer.

With a new CBA being negotiated, there are a lot of unknowns about how free agents will be impacted.

Will it take longer to become a UFA?

Will the league look to close the loophole that permits deals that circumvent the cap, like Roberto Luongo’s or the twin 13-year contracts Parise and Suter just signed?

In other words, now is the time to cash in before those rules change.

Whether the Canucks have the pieces to land Weber is another story.

Sure, they have Alex Edler. But he’s a year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent himself. And just what is Edler going to be worth in this climate?

If Christian Ehrhoff gets $40 million and Suter gets $98 million, it’s not hard to see Edler fall somewhere in the middle.

Whether he’s worth it is a debate for another day.

Of course, any Weber discussion wouldn’t be complete without mention of an offer sheet.

As a restricted free agent, if he were signed to a one-year, predatory offer sheet in the $6,268,175-$7,835,219 range, the compensation would be two first-round picks, a second and third.

Would the Predators match? Probably, but then they couldn’t trade him for a year, and next July they’d be in the exact same situation they just were with Suter.

And can Poile risk getting hit again with another jackhammer?

jbotchford@theprovince.com

[PENGUINScanFLY]

huh, topic was merged, now my post makes no sense

[Vigneault's Timeout]

Letting Edler walk and signing Weber really isn't that much of an advantage - Weber will be at the end of his peak by the end of next season whereas Edler will just be starting to come into his prime.

[Guest AriGold]

Been posted 3 or 4 times i believe....

[CanucksFanMike]

Good read... the only problem is i've read it about 4 times

[Snake Doctor]

This is the province again making up stories to sell newspapers. Gillis does not want to put that much salary in one player.

[TOMapleLaughs]

How pissed off do you think Rinne is right now

[Lonny_Bohonos_14]

This is the province again making up stories to sell newspapers. Gillis does not want to put that much salary in one player.

[combover]

offersheet 10 mill. one season handcuffs the preds and weber becomes untradeable and a ufa at the end of next season if its matched. dump ballard and louie and give up 2 firsts that rarely pan out for this team anyway.

[Canucklehead420]

i highly doubt he's coming here. Gillis is not going to dish out a $100M contract Shea will be after.

[jazzlover79]

Reading Botchford is certainly a lot better than listening to him tho. Always criticizing co-hosts'/listeners' opinions, never gives a reasonable alternative.

[suolucidir]

How do you know? He put 6.1 in each of the Sedins - which at the time was equal to 10.7% of the total cap. Giving Weber 7.5 is equal to 10.5% of the current cap (70.2).