Addressing the latest Shea Weber rumors, plus speculation the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens could make a trade.
Will the Predators trade Shea Weber?
Predators captain Shea Weber remains a hot topic in the trade rumor mill.
THE TENNESSEAN: Addressing a question from a reader regarding the recent Shea Weber trade rumors, Adam Vingan acknowledges they’re becoming difficult to ignore this season as the Nashville Predators struggle to find consistency.If the Predators are to make a bold move, it would involve drawing upon their defensive depth for trade bait. However, Vingan notes GM David Poile told him last week he has no interest in deconstructing his defense. “The topic of trading Weber has become an almost annual rite around here, and yet he remains a part of the team, which should lend enough insight into Predators general manager David Poile’s thought process on the matter,” writes Vingan.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Factors like the Predators blueline depth, lack of reliable scoring depth among their forwards and Weber’s lack of a no-trade clause are largely behind all the trade speculation regarding their captain. On the one hand, Weber seems the logical trade candidate, as he’s bound to fetch a skilled scorer to bolster the Preds’ offense. On the other hand, he’s also carrying an expensive annual salary-cap hit (over $7.8 million) that is very difficult to move in a season where many teams are squeezed for cap space. Poile also seems reluctant to trade Weber, preferring to see if his captain can finally lead the Predators on a deep playoff run. If Poile were to trade Weber, my guess is that move takes place in the offseason when teams have more cap space and desire to spend. That, of course, will depend upon how the Preds do this season. Another early playoff exit could tax Poile’s patience.
Scrivens for Kassian?
NBC SPORTS: Jason Brough reports there’s speculation the Edmonton Oilers could trade goaltender Ben Scrivens (currently buried in the minors) to the Montreal Canadiens for winger Zack Kassian, who was already recently demoted following his completion of stage two of the league’s substance-abuse program.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Swapping Kassian for Scrivens isn’t likely to bolster the Habs goaltending, and it certainly won’t address the club’s primary concern, which is a sharp decline in their offense. While Mike Condon, who’s seen the bulk of the starts in December, has given up three or fewer goals in all but one of his games this month, the Canadiens had only one game where they scored more than two goals. If the Habs offense was rolling along as it was over a month ago, they likely would’ve won half of those games. Scrivens, meanwhile, has only two wins with a 3.47 GAA and .893 SP in 10 games in the AHL this season. As for the Oilers, they’ll get a big forward who at worst will provide some depth to their AHL club.
**UPDATE** And the deal went down just as speculated. Again, I doubt this helps either club.
Well that didnt take long… and is it just me or does it seem like MB is starting to spin his wheels a bit?
Montreal just solved everything lol go leafs
As a Habs fan, I can only say, “Sigh. I think you’re right.”
Hadn’t realized how awful Scrivens’ AHL numbers are this year, too. Wheels spinning, indeed.
Oof. I just saw the Habs retained 24% of Kassian’s salary. So Kassian wasn’t even worth Scrivens?? I wish we had Prust back…
Other way around. Edmonto retained 24% of scrivens contract . Scrivens was making more than kassian so both team keep roughly 1.75 cap hits (no change for either team really)
its a wake up call to the habs to start the new season / year (before to many games in)
and a little insurance / experience upgrade
Just what you want to do. Introduce Kassian’s personality into a young Oilers dressing room. Brilliant.
Not a surprise to bruin fans; PC has wanted Kassian for years. From what I read, you might want to be careful of what you wish for.
That will be a change. He’s been an issue at all his previous stops going back to junior.
First place in the Atlantic Division belong to the “Florida Panthers!” I just wanted to say that, didn’t see it coming. Here is my Weber trade suggestion. Weber and 2nd pick to Boston for Chara and Krejci. Bruins get there top 4 dman; predators get a #1 center and a old, slow, somewhat useful dman to help out their young guys. Bruins also free up some cap space. I really tired of Chara, wanted him gone two years ago when he was tradable.
So tired of Getzlaf & Perry not stepping up in crunch time and Murray has always wanted that big time D-man since he traded Pronger so my trade is
To Nash
Getzlaf
Perry
Vatanen
To Ducks
Weber
Forsberg
Riberio
Nashville #1 2016
I would let Nashville keep their 2016 #1 and sub a 2017 #2 if Anaheim kept Vatanen and Nashville took Bieksa (OH PLEASE).
Maybe sub Neal for Forsberg ?
Toss in Silfverberg somehere ?
A few of these guys need a change and a shakeup
The part that scares me the most is that Murray is making the trade.
Murray makes great draft selections but horrible trades
The Ducks Team Chemistry is just horrible and it’s not the coach
(think back a few years and Randy Carlyle being run out of town)
I would do that trade in a heart beat. I said to trade Chara right after they lost to Chicago . Chara plays way to many minutes now an this is the fault of Claude being so stubborn he should be gone as well any peewee coach can figure out not to use Chara 3on3 but he puts him out there an how many times does he turn it over in OT lots! But he is out there next time it’s OT. But now Krejci is hurt an probably gone for a while
I called panthers & detroit both having good years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now Anahein in thge cella… who would have thunk that
BTW I heard leafs are better than habs during the last 2 months
muahahaha
Habs are hopin’ Scrivens regains his scoring touch.
Hahaha 🙂
Scrivens can’t score goals lol
I like this trade for PC. Bringing in someone with a troubled past into a dressing room full of young guys may be unconventional. But sometimes you learn by seeing what not to do. Sometimes the cold shock of reality causes people to buckle down and commit themselves. Ask Patrick Kane. Having a bit of a thug patrolling the ice can also put other teams off a bit. You can see that from the likes of Tom Wilson in Washington.
Klassiin was sent to minors
In consideration of trade talk surrounding Weber, here is my two bits worth; I think the Penguins would be a front runner for him; offering up either Crosby or Malkin, most likely Malkin. One for one. They are both around the same age & Malkin at this point in his career may be open for a change to another contender. It should help both teams.
Malkin for Weber, one for one. Both are around the same age
Maybe Nashville, and Edmonton could cook something up. Edmonton could offer up RNH, and their 2016 1st round pick as a start. Maybe throw in Nurse, and that could work maybe
Yep sounds pretty solid, The Oilers give up a #1 overall who is still very young, their best young d man who is still a kid and a first round pick for a 30 something year old on the down slide.
He why don’t the Oilers throw in McDavid as well, last I checked Nashville has won nothing. Yes they have a solid d and a brutal front line. Nashville desperately needs forwards that can actually score.
I expect Nashville to get to the playoffs again this year and go out pretty early as usual.
Until they have a real first line, they are going nowhere.
Throw in Nurse? 20 years old, 6’4″,signed to a 3 year $5,325,000 contract and one of the most coveted young players in the NHL. Weber is awesome & I’d love to see him in Oiler silks but at 30 years old with a 14 year $110,000,000 contract I seriously doubt Chiarelli would trade Nurse straight up for Weber let alone throw him in. Nugent Hopkins, a mid level winger (Pakarinen,Purcell or Pouliot maybe) & Edmonton’s first overall pick next season might get them Jones or Josi which is more likely than Weber in my opinion.
And the longer Nashville hangs onto Weber the closer he inches to that category of “over-the-hill and too expensive to trade …” He’s a few years away from that … but I agree with your point.
Ehh its an expensive contract but they are in pretty good shape cap wise and I’m not sure in another 2 or 3 years the actual cap hit of it won’t be….manageable.
What I guess I mean to say its not like Weber would be a bottom pairing guy on a lot of teams in the next few years.
How bout rnh for jones?
ok I hope you arent the same people that laugh at ridiculous leaf trade proposals because if you think nashville is trading weber then hold your tongues next time.
Geez 😛
1. fisher just returned
2. scoring is down – this evens the field for nashville
3. playoffs equals less scoring – even better
Sorry but nashville is in a position of power and don’t need to do a thing
I don’t know that they don’t need to do nothing but I agree they don’t need to do anything drastic…
I believe desperate was the term used here previously.
NO way, that doesn’t help.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m OK value wise, but my concern is it doesn’t solve our problem
Depth.
Yup, I went there. Since Lovejoy-Dupres (BTW, ew) our Defensive depth was iffy, but losing Orpik, Martin and Niskanen in the past 2 years ABSOLOTELY CRUSHED our depth, so if Pit and Nsh were to do a deal, maybe
To Nsh
David Perron, Chris Cunitz, Ben Lovejoy and Bryan Rust
To Pit
Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, Nashville Predators conditional 1st ( like Pit For deal) and 2017 4th rounder.
You notice no Malkin or Crosby as pointed out in a article by Spectators Hockey, being for sale, isn’t likely to happen.
Two possible players:
Mike Reibero the veteran could put that Nsh 4th to a Pit 3rd.
Beau Beannet the young gun may still have value…
You wont get Josi for nothing let alone ellis and a 1st. look at the penguin players you included, Perron has not played well even with the offense Pittsburgh has, so I would think he would struggle even more in Nashville, kunitz is a product of Crosby and has little value. So basically Nashville is sending Josi, Ellis and first rounder and a fourth for basically Pittsburgh’s spare parts, I wouldn’t deal ellis for that whole package, let alone Nashvilles best dman in Josi
Worst trade proposal ever
he says in Comic book guys voice