Minutes after SWR suggested that the Nashville Predators would match the offer sheet that team captain Shea Weber signed last week for the Philadelphia Flyers, that's exactly what happened.
In an announcement posted Tuesday afternoon on the team's official website, the Predators announced that they have chosen to match the offer, signing Weber for 14 years and $110 million. Per NHL rules, the Predators are also unable to trade Weber and his front-loaded contract until next summer, but based on the Predators' statement, that doesn't seem to be under consideration.
"In the most important hockey transaction in franchise history," the statement reads, "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."
With Nashville matching Philadelphia's offer, the three-time All-Star defenseman becomes the latest player to sign a big-money long-term contract this summer, which could be the last time such contracts are offered if NHL owners get their way in collective bargaining talks with the NHL Players Association. Other big long-term deals include Sidney Crosby's 12-year, $104.4 million extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jordan Staal's 10-year, $60-million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes and the twin deals for 13 years and $98 million that the Minnesota Wild inked with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, the latter having been Weber's teammate in Nashville for the last seven seasons.
Having already lost Suter to conference foe Minnesota, the Predators clearly felt they needed to take a stand. By putting up the big money to keep Weber on their blueline, that's exactly what they did.
