Eklund Flyers/Weber rumor

[LegionOfPoon]

Is anyone else hoping the Preds and Weber can only agree to a 1 year deal like how the Devils and Parise did last year. That way he is an UFA next summer so we don't have to get rid of any of our young forwards if we get him. Timonens 6.33 mil cap hit will come off the books. Use that and whatever else it takes to get him signed.

[Polaris922]

It's interesting you would comment on that. For Nashville- it is now a mix of cash and assets. They are no longer the over-achieving, well drafting, CASH POOR team that they were. I say interesting because of our dialogue regarding Crosby. I would do Weber / Crosby and sign Suter (nashville side) for 6m straight up. Nashville is desperate for offence. Pitts is desperate for defence.

I'll call Shero if you call Poile! :-P

Noooo! I keep Crosby! Lol.

Edited June 19, 2012 by Polaris922

[Vanflyer]

Still, we had two of the top playoff scorers. Imagine if you add some better defense to that team....

I get that Weber, Suter, and RInne didn't get it done in Nashville, but they weren't littered with goal scorers like the Flyers are.

You are the first to take the bait.

Nash had 2.2 g/g and 2.1 g/a a game over 11 games. They played 10 games and one was OTL.

New Jersey posted 2.46 g/g and 2.42 g/a.

That margin is almost identical.

The top seven teams had nearly identical margins- with exception to LA.

[Phillygrump]

You are the first to take the bait.

Nash had 2.2 g/g and 2.1 g/a a game over 11 games. They played 10 games and one was OTL.

New Jersey posted 2.46 g/g and 2.42 g/a.

That margin is almost identical.

The top seven teams had nearly identical margins- with exception to LA.

For a minute I couldn't remember if we were talking about Rick Nash or Nashville. Haha.

Still, NJ scored more than Nashville. Plus, NJ has goal scorers like Kovy and Parise and Nashville has the Kostityns. They may be able to grind out a few goals, but they don't seem to have any pure finishers.

[Vanflyer]

For a minute I couldn't remember if we were talking about Rick Nash or Nashville. Haha.

Still, NJ scored more than Nashville. Plus, NJ has goal scorers like Kovy and Parise and Nashville has the Kostityns. They may be able to grind out a few goals, but they don't seem to have any pure finishers.

Agreed, I guess my point was why would Nashville blowup their defense for offense that is not yet proven? They should have moved Suter at the trade deadline. The pooch is screwed on that as he will sign somewhere else. I understand that they were making a playoff run and all that, but they could have had Grossman and others (#1's) from Dallas as an example.

[Phillygrump]

Agreed, I guess my point was why would Nashville blowup their defense for offense that is not yet proven? They should have moved Suter at the trade deadline. The pooch is screwed on that as he will sign somewhere else. I understand that they were making a playoff run and all that, but they could have had Grossman and others (#1's) from Dallas as an example.

Because they would have all their money wrapped up in Rinne, Suter, and Weber and still have no scoring. They have depth at the D position and are hard up for scoring. I am not saying they will move Weber, but I imagine they would want to be more balanced just like the Flyers would want to be more balanced as well needing more defense, toughness, and leadership.

The two teams could help each other become more balanced.

[SpikeDDS]

@Vanflyer

i strenuously agree...

the Defense can be fixed , made better-whatever , without gutting our wings... craig button just said this am you don't fill one hole by creating another. there are guys around and available that can play laviolette's style that won't screw the team long or short term.

homer has shown creativity and large testicles when addressing a need, so while a move for weber might be in his arsenal so is something we're not expecting.

You DO fill a hole by creating another hole IF you deem the one you are creating is easier to fill back up than the first. A really good 2-way defenseman is one of the toughest positions to fill in the league, except maybe for a top-rated goalie. If you can sign a D-man for the long haul and give yourself a couple of years to fix your front lines (which are generally speaking easier to fix), you pull the trigger.

You'll note that I DID say "IF."

[mojo1917]

A really good 2-way defenseman is one of the toughest positions to fill in the league, except maybe for a top-rated goalie. If you can sign a D-man for the long haul and give yourself a couple of years to fix your front lines (which are generally speaking easier to fix), you pull the trigger.

right,

and I think there are guys out there that fill the need for our team that won't involve 3 or 4 roster players plus 1 or 2 picks... there are guys available for money only, and comcast/spetacor has a pile of that. the Flyers don't have a pile of draft picks or roster players i'd want to part with.

short answer i don't think Weber minus everything we'd give up for him brings a championship to philly sooner than a mid tier guy like Jason Garrison and keeping all the assests does.

the guy we should all be targeting is rob scuderi... all he does is win.

[canoli]

the guy we should all be targeting is rob scuderi... all he does is win.

kinda doubt LA lets him go...he was key to their D and I bet they re-sign him sometime during the season. This summer they've got Penner, Stoll and Bernier to lock up (plus a few less expensive and/or less-important players) but basically the Kings are sitting pretty for next year.

Edited June 20, 2012 by canoli

[Mad Dog]

I am on board with what people said about Rob Scuderi. He does't grab much of a highlight, but the guy is a proven winner and an awfully good traditional defenseman. Think Eric Weinrich or Petr Svoboda with a bit less of an offensive upside.

I noticed him when he was in Pittsburgh and he is really, really good in bringing stability to the blue line. Obviously I am not familiar with him as much as with Flyers' players, but I remember thinking back then that he just puts himself in a posiiton where he doesn't turn the puck over. There is nothing dazzling about him, but he has a decent size and for a defensive defenseman can move the puck. I remember that perfect first pass out of his zone....

And as much as Quick, Doughty, Brown, Kopitar and even Richards contributed to the LA's Cup, in several NHL FInals games I watched Scuderi was simply huge. He made some amazing defensive plays which none of our d-men are een capable of making.

I think he can really help Carle to minimize turnovers and just stay out of harm's way.

Is he a RFA? I wonder what LA would ask for him. I just can't imagine he would be too expensive or have a huge cap hit.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Mad Dog

[DinahMoeHumm]

in several NHL FInals games I watched Scuderi was simply huge

That's why he's "The Piece" B) Scuderi is one player I'd love to have back! Sure, maybe he's not Weber, but he's a beast out there, highly responsible and rarely makes mistakes that cost his team.

[jammer2]

Scuderi is an RFA. After he won the cup in Pittsburgh he signed a 4 year deal with LA, which just expired. He got 3.4 mill a year, a pretty hefty haul for a defensive d-man. It really kinda set the bar for pure elite defensive players at the time. This time around, factoring in yet another cup on his resume, the fact he was the best defensive d-man on the Stanley Cup champions carries a lot of weight. I believe he'll get a 1.0 to 1.5 million dollar raise to the 4.5-5.0 mill a year territory. Again, I think he will set the bar for what defense first guys can ask for. Worth every penny if you ask me.

[Mad Dog]

Worth every penny if you ask me.

I think it is, but only to teams who have that extra space in cap available.

I have a sense the Flyers are trying to find a two-way elite d-man. I doubt they are even looking at Scuderi.

[doom88]

Scuderi is an RFA. After he won the cup in Pittsburgh he signed a 4 year deal with LA, which just expired. He got 3.4 mill a year, a pretty hefty haul for a defensive d-man. It really kinda set the bar for pure elite defensive players at the time. This time around, factoring in yet another cup on his resume, the fact he was the best defensive d-man on the Stanley Cup champions carries a lot of weight. I believe he'll get a 1.0 to 1.5 million dollar raise to the 4.5-5.0 mill a year territory. Again, I think he will set the bar for what defense first guys can ask for. Worth every penny if you ask me.

Scuderi will be UFA according to nhlnumbers.com and capgeek.com after 2012-2013.

[jammer2]

Hmmmm, this changes things....maybe, just maybe he signs a one year contract, effecively bridging the gap to UFA status....then he signs a 5 year deal to play with the Flyers...I'd be ok with that! I can see him wanting the big bucks, and the way to that is a one year deal followed by a deal to take you to retirement.

[Vanflyer]

Because they would have all their money wrapped up in Rinne, Suter, and Weber and still have no scoring. They have depth at the D position and are hard up for scoring. I am not saying they will move Weber, but I imagine they would want to be more balanced just like the Flyers would want to be more balanced as well needing more defense, toughness, and leadership.

The two teams could help each other become more balanced.

Well, LA was hard up for scoring as well and looked at what happened.

I sort of get your point. But I would strongly disagree that Nashville becomes more balanced (but would agree we become more balanced, despite a nut case in goal). Losing an elite defensemen like Weber is not replaced- despite getting offensive assets. Its not like that proposed trade is going to propel Nashville into the offensive stratosphere of Pitts- Flyers. Suter is Webers wing man if you get my drift. If you remove Weber, I think Suter is Carle heavy (vs. lite) or Timmonen v 2.0.

Would you do the trade as proposed from both a Flyer and Nashville perspective??

[Vanflyer]

If you can sign a D-man for the long haul and give yourself a couple of years to fix your front lines (which are generally speaking easier to fix),

I totally agree. So, IF you are Nashville, why make that trade when he will be the anchor for the long haul? Why can't they spend the next couple of years fixing their front lines? Just using your logic. :-)

[Vanflyer]

Hmmmm, this changes things....maybe, just maybe he signs a one year contract, effecively bridging the gap to UFA status....then he signs a 5 year deal to play with the Flyers...I'd be ok with that! I can see him wanting the big bucks, and the way to that is a one year deal followed by a deal to take you to retirement.

Actually he is currently signed through the end of next year, upon which he becomes a UFA. He will be 34 when his current contract is up. I don't see him getting "monster" bucks at the end of his current contract. 4-5m for 3 years. Certainly affordable and reasonable.

[canoli]

ya that's the way I read it too - he's signed through this season then hits UFA status next July. That's why I highly doubt he'd be thinking about moving this summer. As far as LA is concerned they're naturally trying to keep as many guys together as possible and Scuderi is one of their prime players. They won't be shopping him until the TD....if at all.

[SpikeDDS]

I totally agree. So, IF you are Nashville, why make that trade when he will be the anchor for the long haul? Why can't they spend the next couple of years fixing their front lines? Just using your logic. :-)

I wasn't saying that I would make the trade. That is why I ended my post with:

You'll note that I DID say "IF."

I think the Preds would be crazy to give Weber up voluntarily unless someone was giving away the store. They've already got a dang good goalie, and he'll be the foundation for a good hockey team for years. But it DOES depend on how much Weber wants. If they think he's gonna demand SO much that it will be practically impossible to build a team around him, THEN I'd be looking at my options.

You would hope that Weber would be smart enough to know when he's got it good. That's one of the reasons I love hockey as compared with other sports--because our star players as a rule understand this better than those in other sports. But there are exceptions. Hopefully Weber doesn't try to force the Preds to give up their chance of winning a Cup or two.

NO ONE is irreplaceable. I say this as a Red Wing fan whose team now has to do the best we can to somehow replace Nick Lidstrom! The fact is that eventually everybody gets replaced. We were SO fortunate that for his entire career, Nick Lidstrom knew how good he had it and realized that not asking for astronomical salary allowed Kenny Holland to try to acquire the talent to place around him to allow him to continue to play at a competitive level for most of his career. Hopefully Weber is smart enough to realize this as well. He has it good, and Nashville isn't very far from winning their final game of the playoffs, if only they can use their resources wisely. Weber's got a lot to do with that.

[jammer2]

Sorry guys, read the damn chart wrong....http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=LA

[The Quigster]

Homer could dangle Timmonen and Hartnell in a transaction for Webber ? Hartnell (Best year ever) could end their(the Preds) scoring drought and Kimmo could give a years breathing room on defense replacing Webber.Two for one sale.we know the Preds like these guys. I would not like to see the "The Homester" give up any of the young guys in trades!

[Phillygrump]

Would you do the trade as proposed from both a Flyer and Nashville perspective??

I don't think so, but mostly because of the fact that Weber is an RFA. I think the price is too steep given that Weber is not guaranteed to sign in Philly for the rest of his career. I would do something similar to that proposed trade. Maybe leave a pick and Bourdon out of the deal and just do Jake, JVR, and #20 for Weber.

Maybe I am being naive, but it seems to me that Nashville is either going to sign Suter and try to move Weber or commit to Weber and let Suter walk. That is a lot of money wrapped up in 2 defensemen.

[radoran]

Homer could dangle Timmonen and Hartnell in a transaction for Webber ? Hartnell (Best year ever) could end their(the Preds) scoring drought and Kimmo could give a years breathing room on defense replacing Webber.Two for one sale.we know the Preds like these guys. I would not like to see the "The Homester" give up any of the young guys in trades!

I think they should throw-in Briere, maybe add in the rights to Pronger for "future considerations."

Also, too, Bryzgalov for Rinne is a no-brainer.

Now we've successfully moved all of the players with strict No Trade and No Movement clauses and Nashville has successfully done its duty of being a developmental squad for the Flyers.

For my next trick, I'll need a volunteer.

[Podein25]

For my next trick, I'll need a volunteer.

Ahem