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Arbitrator awards Nashville’s Shea Weber one year contract worth $7.5 million

Vancouver Canucks v Nashville Predators - Game Three

NASHVILLE, TN - MAY 03: Shea Weber #6 of the Nashville Predators skates against the Vancouver Canucks in Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 3, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

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The Shea Weber drama is at an end.

Tim Wharnsby of CBC Sports reports that the arbitrator in the case between Weber and the Nashville Predators has awarded the team captain a one year contract worth $7.5 million. The deal is just $1 million less than what Weber was asking for but nearly $3 million more than the $4.75 million the Predators hoped to sign Weber for.

The money is huge. The arbitration award is the largest ever in NHL history and it makes Weber the highest paid defenseman in the NHL this season against the cap. It also makes him one of two defensemen making over $7 million this year with Brian Campbell being the other. It puts him at more money than Stanley Cup and Norris winners Zdeno Chara and Nicklas Lidstrom and sets the bar for what the Los Angeles Kings will look to base their deal for restricted free agent Drew Doughty around.

With Weber locked up now for that much money, the Predators are finally above the salary floor as Weber’s deal puts the Preds payroll this season at $48.7 million according to CapGeek.com. While that’s one problem avoided for the Predators, they may have a big one on the horizon when it comes to Weber’s long-term future with the team.

Arbitration is about as ugly of a way to settle a contract and while Weber has new agents doing things for him as Elliotte Friedman of CBC makes note, this could set things on a bad road for the Predators in their hopes to retain Weber for a long term deal.

There is a feeling around the league that Weber’s contract discussions are going poorly, and you’d have to believe that’s true based on these developments. I don’t believe for a second Nashville’s contract offers are anywhere near $4.75 million. It sounds like the organization is offering above $7 million on a term anywhere between three and seven years. But, several people who know Weber say this is not about money.

It’s about winning. The Predators, in a lot of ways, are a model organization. They get the most out of their money with great coaching and development. But there is a limit. Nine of Weber’s similarly aged (or younger) teammates on the gold medal-winning Olympic team have a Stanley Cup ring. That’s not lost on him.

Even with last year’s historic playoff success, Nashville was 10 wins away from the ultimate victory.

Weber’s said several times he wants to stay and will get a deal done. But people who are much smarter than I am say this indicates otherwise. It’s almost like he’s putting them on notice: a “show me now” message.


If this whole dispute is about winning and not money, you have to wonder what Weber thought of seeing guys like Joel Ward, Steve Sullivan, Cody Franson, and Shane O’Brien get sent out of town or leave as free agents this summer made him re-think things. After all, Weber is set to become a restricted free agent again next summer if he and the Predators can’t come to an agreement on a long term contract. Making that time even more difficult is that both teammates Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne are set to be unrestricted free agents next summer as well. The Preds could be in a bad spot to be poached by an offer sheet for Weber next summer.

If this showdown between Weber and Poile was indeed a “show me now” message, you have to wonder what his opinion is of the Predators summer signings and acquisitions of Brett Lebda and Niclas Bergfors. You also have to wonder what sort of input Weber’s new agents have in helping get things to this point. With the arbitration award being so strongly in Weber’s favor, it helps make Nashville’s offer look even more ridiculous. It also makes their offer look insulting in comparison.