Shea Weber gets a 7.5 million ruling and now what happens

Shea Weber has received a ruling on his contract for next season and he will be the highest fifth highest paid defenseman in the NHL next year as he was awarded 7.5 million dollars which trails only Buffalo's newest arrive Christian Ehrhoff at 10 million, Stanley Cup winner Chara at 8.5 million, North trophy winner Duncan Keith @ 8 millions, and finally Hart and Norris trophy winner Chris Pronger with a salary of 7.6 million. So what does this mean for the Nashville Predators and for right now it means a smoke screen as they are talking about signing defense RYAN SUTER and GOALIE PEKKA RINNE who are UFA after next season while also looking at signing Weber to a long term contract but it is unlikely to happen because the Nashville Predators are one of the teams that stay at the salary floor.

So in reality what is going to happen is that Shea Weber will be traded most like before the beginning of the regular season as teams will be lining up for the almost 26 year old Shea Weber who has scored 80 goals and 134 assists and 214 points with a + 7 last season plus/minus and his best plus/minus was his first full season with the Predators with a + 13 in 2006-07 and his best numbers were in the 2008-09 season with 23 goals, 30 assists, and 53 points. The Predator will get pretty good trade options especially before the regular season because teams will be willing to give the Predators a great package as they will have time to get a long time deal done with Shea Weber. The teams likely to have the cap room is the Toronto Maple Leafs who need to spend their money on top NHL players but I do not know what they will be able to give the Predators for him but it is the most likely the option for teams and another team would be the Edmonton Oilers who need an experience wherever they can get it and they have cap room as well along with the Winnipeg Jets who could be making their big splash. After that it would be the usual suspect of the Red Wings, Devils, Capitals, Flyers, Sharks, and maybe even the Sabres.

So however gets Weber they will have a great defenseman for the next quite a few seasons and be a strong hold on anyone's backline.

Tom Mehegan