475 replies to this topic

[Bannedforlife]

I literally can't wait to see a certain Winger's reaction to this news.

[Salviaman]

They took my Weber!!!!!!

[brett]

that price is a little low for weber. nashville will match no problem. if they dont nashville will explode.

some how the wings are looking better and better in the division hah

very surprising nonetheless

Edited by brett, 19 July 2012 - 05:13 AM.

[ShanahanMan]

that price is a little low for weber. nashville will match no problem. if they dont nashville will explode.

some how the wings are looking better and better in the division hah

very surprising nonetheless

Match then trade next summer would benefit Nashville the most.

[RyanBarnes!]

Nothing wrong with the last 4 picks.

Well Fischer obviously was bad luck. Kronwall turned out nicely after a somewhat questionable start. Kindl is uncertain although most on this board I bet would already call him a bust. Smith will hopefully be everything we hope he is.

Now I think many GM:s would at least consider trading these four for an all proven Weber, and this in retrospect when the outcome is already known. So again, if you ask me if Weber is worthy of 4 first round picks when the outcome is totally unknown (could easily be Eriksson, Golubovsky, Kuznetsov and Wallin) then my answer would be "yes". Simply because franchise defensemen like Weber don't come around that often, especially not in the late first round, when Detroit is usually picking.

[55fan]

Isn't this the Weber that we didn't want because he bonked our Zata's noggin?

Oh, well. Maybe if they have enough D in Philly we can get Lilja back.

Zetter is better, but Lilja will kill ya.

[Nightfall]

Weber's not worth our next four 1st rounders. For all we know those could be four lottery pics.

This is why we didn't try to sign him to a one year deal for $10 million. If he accepted and the Preds let him go, we would have had to sacrifice 4 first round picks. It doesn't matter if its $10 million or $100 million, its still 4 first round picks. I don't understand why fans are bitching at Ken Holland about this. Why are Wings fans hoping that we handcuff ourselves for 14 years and give up 4 first round picks?

[TheXym]

I seem to remember reading that draft picks used for RFA compensation had to be your team's own picks, not picks acquired from other teams in trade, that may be a factor in Holland's thinking, as well as other GM's.

I see this as Philly going all in to snag a cup with their current young core before they are open to FA themselves. The current CBA negotiations are also a huge question mark, particularly in light of the first offer from the league and its contract implications moving forward. As others have said, this is likely the last year for the ridiculously long mega deals so Weber went for the greenbacks.

[stevkrause]

As a couple others have mentioned, Nashville will match this, then trade him. I'd be willing to bet on it...

[Matt]

Well, this sucks.

Am I the only one with the growing feeling that I'd rather just not hear that Detroit was "in" on someone? This summer has been nothing but a 'Greatest Hits' collection of "Hey, you guys were thisclose, but... no."

Stop teasing me. I need a coffee.

As a couple others have mentioned, Nashville will match this, then trade him. I'd be willing to bet on it...

I'm assuming this deal is massively, massively front-loaded the first two years. It's going to be a big pill for Nashville to swallow. Weber will NOT be traded next year if Nashville matches unless he outright demands it. I can't see Nashville committing over $20 million to him this upcoming season (and something potentially north of $35 million the first two years) only to trade him away a year later after spending so much out of the gate.

That's another reason -- potential 'poison pills' aside -- that I makes me wonder if Nashville will match it. If they can get through the financials the first two(-ish) years, then they're home free. Have to get that blessing from ownership.

[Blueliner]

The Flyers will just end up trading Weber within a year like they do with every other player they sign to a long-term contract.

[stevkrause]

Well, this sucks.

Am I the only one with the growing feeling that I'd rather just not hear that Detroit was "in" on someone? This summer has been nothing but a 'Greatest Hits' collection of "Hey, you guys were thisclose, but... no."

Stop teasing me. I need a coffee.


I'm assuming this deal is massively, massively front-loaded the first two years. It's going to be a big pill for Nashville to swallow. Weber will NOT be traded next year if Nashville matches unless he outright demands it. I can't see Nashville committing over $20 million to him this upcoming season (and something potentially north of $35 million the first two years) only to trade him away a year later after spending so much out of the gate.

That's another reason -- potential 'poison pills' aside -- that I makes me wonder if Nashville will match it. If they can get through the financials the first two(-ish) years, then they're home free. Have to get that blessing from ownership.

I'm not suggesting a trade next year, I'm suggesting matching, then trading, in this same off-season...

If he doesn't want to be there, which all evidence suggests, as Nashville was apparently already in the process of a trade, it only makes sense to move him, and I'm sure they'll get more worth than 4 1st rd picks, so a "sign-and-trade" so to speak, makes sense in that scenario...

[Red Crazy]

Well this makes it official, Weber will not be a Wing. I can't blame Philly for the offer sheet. They wanted him and went after him. They forced Nashville to the plate.

[russianswede919293]

What people also need to get is this will definitely create a domino affect, driving up the value for elite defensemen exponentially. Any hopes we had of trading for Yandle, Enstrom, etc. is all but gone.

That is the truth. I think that is what affects the Wings more than anything. Is Phoenix would be crazy to trade Yandle now.

[JasonNewEra]

This is why we need a new CBA. I don't understand how this is even allowed. Philly has this money? They won't be able to do anything in terms of the draft and they will be maxed out for 14 years... I just don't understand it. Also, why in the hell is Weber accepting such a low contract!? He's worth WAY more than 7.2 million a year! He could easily get 8 to 9 a year next year.

Something just seems off to me. I don't get his thinking at all.

P.S. Philadelphia sports teams are morons! Betting it all on a few players is moronic.

[Matt]

I'm not suggesting a trade next year, I'm suggesting matching, then trading, in this same off-season...

Except the CBA forbids it. If Nashville matches, they cannot trade him for one calendar year. Period, no exceptions. Hence the mountainous financial commitment they'll have to make right out of the gate.

[dustyrhoades9687]

I tend to have faith that holland has some random trick he holds back till we really need it but wtf holland anytime u want to elieviate us of our anticipation for what ever it is ur planning or how about a mass red wing fan email something. I still think ur the best in the biz but plz give us a wink or a nod in the general direction of where ur taking us and our team. (I say we find his assistant and his secretary and make them tell us) <---totally joking about that yea weber would've been awsome but don't let kenny fool u for sure this guy must have something hidden away.

[Valas19]

This is all Bettman's fault. Had the Wings been moved to the East awhile ago then teams like Nashville and Columbus would be more willing to trade with us.

Damn you, Bettman!!!!

[Z Winged Dangler]

I agree with everyone that said Nashville will match the offer. They have no other really good/star players aside from Rinne and they would be stupid not to do this. I have no idea why an offer sheet for that term would even be put out by the Flyers and why Weber agreed to it knowing full well that the Preds can match and keep him there for the rest of his playing career if they want and he won't have the freedom that Suter so enjoyed this year of being able to sign wherever he pleases. That's why Kenny didn't put out any offer sheet for Weber....Nashville would have to match or see Weber kill them 6 times a year.

Just a big pile of dong if you ask this guy.

[russianswede919293]

<sup>We all know that Preds will match this offer sheet, so that is not the point. But Weber would easily be worth 4 first round picks in my opinion. It is not like the Red Wings have a fantastic draft record for defensemen taken in the first round the past 20 years -and it is not like they aren't trying. Detroit used 8 of 10 possible picks on defensemen and traded ten 1st picks (in 97, 99, 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, 09, 11 and 12). The exceptions are McCollum in 08 and Sheahan in 10.

1993 Anders Eriksson
1994 Yan Golubovsky
1995 Maxim Kuznetsov
1996 Jesse Wallin
1998 Jiri Fischer
2000 Niklas Kronwall
2005 Jakub Kindl
2007 Brendan Smith</sup>

Kronwall is a top pair d-man and Fischer likely would have been had he been able to continue playing. Smith still could be. I'd say with the little 1st rd picks (All being High 1st rounders) we've done a pretty good job.