Predators must make Weber big offer, deal him if he declines

nashville

Ray Shero has undoubtedly used knowledge and strategy he learned serving for eight years as David Poile‘s assistant in Nashville to become the tour de force general manager he is now in Pittsburgh.
Today, however, it might be time for mentor Poile to follow the lead of his former pupil.

Poile needs to handle the Shea Weber situation the way that Shero dealt with the Jordan Staal situation: You offer the player the best contract extension you can afford. If he doesn’t accept, you trade him, preferably to a place he wants to play.

The Predators probably don’t want to believe this, but it’s the best strategy for the organization and for the player. It’s the respectful approach. It’s the dignified approach. It’s the forward-thinking approach.

It certainly isn’t difficult to determine what to offer Weber: It’s the Sidney Crosby contract of $104.4 million over 12 years.

We know the Predators can go that high, because they were at least in the neighborhood in their bidding for Ryan Suter.

If the Predators make that offer, they are telling Weber they value him as much the Penguins value Crosby. And that’s the truth. They would be paying him more than Ryan Suter received when he left the Predators to sign with the Minnesota Wild this week. And that’s important. That offer also would tell their fans that the Predators are willing to do whatever it takes to build a winning organization.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/allen/story/2012-07-06/nhl-shea-weber-contract/56061542/1