Making the case for the Predators to trade Shea Weber, a list of every NHL team’s most difficult player to trade, and the speculated trade value of Leo Komarov.
The case for trading Shea Weber.
Could the Predators trade Shea Weber this season?
ESPN.COM: Scott Burnside recently suggested it could take a bold move, like trading defenseman and captain Shea Weber, to turn the Nashville Predators into a Stanley Cup contender. With Weber lacking a no-trade clause on a contract with a $7.8 million annual cap hit, the Predators can trade him anywhere. He wonders if the Edmonton Oilers would offer up Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and either Jordan Eberle or Leon Draisaitl, or if Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin or perhaps Sidney Crosby would accept a trade to Nashville, or if the Columbus Blue Jackets would part with Ryan Johansen for Weber.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weber should fetch a substantial return for the Predators, but his cap hit make him difficult to move during a season with so many teams lacking significant cap space. It would have to be pretty much a dollar-for-dollar deal. I still think Predators GM David Poile wants to see how his team performs this season before making any decisions on a significant shakeup. If the Preds fall short again this season, a major move could come in the offseason, when teams have more cap space and a willingness to spend.
List of the hardest players for each team to trade.
SPORTSNET: Luke Fox recently listed the one player hardest to trade for each NHL team. Anaheim’s Ryan Kesler, Arizona’s Mike Smith, Boston’s Zdeno Chara, Buffalo’s Brian Gionta, Calgary’s Ladislav Smid, Carolina’s Cam Ward, Chicago’s Bryan Bickell, Colorado’s Semyon Varlamov, Columbus’ David Clarkson, Dallas’ Kari Lehtonen, Detroit’s Jimmy Howard, Edmonton’s Andrew Ference, Florida’s Dave Bolland, Los Angeles’ Dustin Brown, Minnesota’s Jason Pominville, Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec, Nashville’s Shea Weber, New Jersey’s Travis Zajac, NY Islanders’ Mikhail Grabovski, NY Rangers’ Dan Boyle, Ottawa’s Chris Phillips, Philadelphia’s Vincent Lecavalier, Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang, San Jose’s Joe Thornton, St. Louis’ Paul Stastny, Tampa Bay’s Matt Carle, Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf, Vancouver’s Sedin twins, Washington’s Brooks Orpik and Winnipeg’s Ondrej Pavelec.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Note the running theme? All are either ageing or injury-hampered players carrying expensive contracts or expensive salaries for this season that are extremely difficult to move right now.
Komarov worth a late first-round pick?
TSN’s Darren Dreger (via Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot) recently stated his belief Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov could fetch a late first-round draft pick if the Leafs shop him later this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Komarov is enjoying a career season playing for Mike Babcock. He’s got terrific defensive stats to match his surprising offensive output this season. He’s also carrying an affordable $2.95 million annual cap hit through 2017-18. I’ve always liked his style, but he’s not worth a late first-round pick. Granted, more than one NHL GM has overpaid and it’s possible a rival GM could lose his mind and part with a late first for Komarov. But he’s turning 29 in January, is only in his third NHL season and has never had the type of production he’s currently enjoying in his previous two NHL seasons. We also don’t know if he can maintain his current pace between now and the Feb. 29 trade deadline. Komarov is shining offensively playing for one of the NHL’s top coaches on a team where he’s getting the opportunity to play top-six minutes. He might not do as well on a deeper team with a different coach. Giving up a late-first rounder is too much for a guy who, until a month ago, was widely considered at best a third-line checker. But hey! If the Leafs can find a GM willing to make that move, go for it.
Yeah that’ll fix everything, we’ll trade one of our best players for a 32 year dman who’s slowly starting on the downward slope of his career. Yeah Malkin makes sense, he’s just 7th in NHL scoring and the current heart and soul of the team. I see much improvement(aside from the 2 games against the Bruins) since Sully took over. Kessel is so used to playing with an average centre he had his best game of the season playing with Bonino. Daley is back to the Daley that the stars new and loved now that he’s back on the PP, even with holding salary that trade was highway robbery for us. At this point Crosby is not playing that poorly it just has t translated to the score sheet like it has in the past. If he’s centering the third line for the rest of the season with Kunutz and Sheary that’s not the worst outcome, Sheary has looked the best with Crosby of anyone. He looked good with Malkin as well tbh. Letang is back and we will be looking at Letang/ Maatta, Dumoulin/ Daley, and Cole and one of Warsofsky, Clendening, Pouliot, or Suckjoy. That is much better. Dumoulin has been the biggest surprise and highlight of the season so far. And he improves every game. I’m rambling but my point is it’s not time to make stupid, rash decisions like trading a 30 goal scorer this season for an over the hill (almost) dman. Not time to panic yet!
Shea Weber just turned 30 in August. Is still easily 1 of the 10 best Dman in the NHL if not top 5 & will be for about 6 more years minimum. 1 of the most complete Dman in the NHL. Does it all & very well.
I don’t trade Shea Weber unless someone over pays me to do so. Dman with his abilities are the rarest commodity in the NHL. He does everything. The only real comparable Dman in the NHL is Doughty that brings a very similar package to the ice but Doughty doesn’t have Weber’s offensive ability any longer. Factor in his contract. 56 million of the 110 million owed on his 14 year deal will be paid by the end of this season. Season 4 with 10 years to go.
weber does every thing well I don’t see nsh moving him I agree he will be a top dman for a few more yrs
Weber is great but I hope that Chiarelli can pry Seth Jones out of Nashville and pair him up with Darnell Nurse. It’d take RNH & maybe next years 1st round pick but i’d do it in a flash.
Dee, take off your penquin feathered rose glasses and look again:
Trevor Daley is what he is: a one man mailamn who does seem to read the push the pace options and still has trouble when in a back peddle, that’s why in most instances, you see his nose facing his own goaler when “defending.”
Pittsburgh is on a decline so whether your ego can handle it or not, brace yourself for the rebuild to begin within five months…
I think the Leafs would and likely will move him for less if there is some quantity involved…similar to Winnik last year. Couple later picks a contract that may be useful for Komorov.
They won’t need to accept less, because players are overvalued at the deadline. Think Perron. Heck, even the Leafs got a first for Franson who likewise was having a career season.
And, if I’m not mistaken, Lyle predicted that Franson would not fetch that first (assuming Santorelli was for Lepsic) or was that Bobby Mac? In any case, the point is the same, players are overvalued at the deadline!
Right it kinda worked out yo be a first but they dealt that first for quantity… I think it might be possible to maybe get a late first for Komorov bit I think instead of a late first they would be happy with a couple later picks and a contract…who knows but I don’t think Komorov finishes the year with the Leafs unless he gets hurt and they can’t move him.
Maybe the Blackhawks would part with their first round pick at the next draft in exchange for Komarov’s services for another Stanley Cup run if Toronto took Bryan Bickell’s contract off their hands as part of the deal.
looks like nylander is concussed! bit of a blindside hit but he has to be looking around geez
It’s weird, I think Komarov is more valuable to the Leafs than a late first, but I agree it’s an overpayment. He seems well liked on the team, plus I love his game so I’m ok with keeping him for now, but I can see him being traded towards the end of his contract. I get the feeling he’s like Clarkson when he played for Jersey, his production probably won’t be duplicated on another team.
you nailed leo to a T durt. hes not gonna repeat this with another team like Clarkson with the devils but I think hes a good guy to keep around the locker room for the kids coming up
I think Komorov is the perfect example of opportunity. Take a player with average offensive skills, give him top 6 even strength ice time, Komorov is 4th for forwards in Toronto for TOI/GP, & 2nd line PP time & he will produce.
Chicago gave up a 1st & Dahlbeck a decent young D prospect to get Vermette from Arz. If Toronto chooses to move Komorov which I feel would be stupid at this time they will get a late 1st. Toronto would be better served to wait several years as he approaches his UFA status on his contract as his style of play & dedication to the finer defensive aspects of the game would make for a good role model for the young players coming.
I think Chicago was happy with the cost paid for Vermette. Although he didn’t score often going from 1st line C in Arzona with 1st line PP time to 3rd line checker with no power playtime in Chicago his 3 GWG’s, 1 scored in overtime were a huge part of Chicago’s 3rd cup victory & any team would be happy with that cost to outcome.
So Kassian has been asked not to report to St. John’s…Does this mean there’s a deal in place for him after the trade freeze…Or does it mean more off ice issues for Kassian?
Kassian went unclaimed on waivers with a cap hit below the NHL league average at 1.75. Why would anyone consider trading for this cancer?
First, I wouldn’t call a 24 year old power forward who’s battling addiction a cancer. If you’ve ever experienced a battle with addiction, you’d know the hopelessness and difficulty these people face. These people are hardly cancers. They are in reality really good people who need help and support. People who are corageous enough to say: “I have a problem, I need help.”
Second, Just because a player clears waivers, doesn’t mean he can’t be traded. The same man who currently is in possession of Kassian (Marc Bergevin); is the very same man who moved Rene Bourque at twice the cap hit, with an additional year and NTC on his contract. Oh, and Rene Bourque was 10 years older than Kassian is now. Rene Bourque cleared waivers only to be traded twice last season.
And finally, Kassian at 24 is still an appealing package to bottom feeders like ANA who’ve struggled to score goals this year and who also have a trade history with MTL. I’m pretty sure for the right price, ANA would roll the dice on Kassian.
I’ve interacted with Kassim live on numerous occasions. He is a cancer.
If you take Kassian off waivers you have to take on the full salary. If you trade for him it could actually make it less of a risk depending on the contract or whats going back to the Habs it might work out to a cap saavings of a few dollars…
What I mean to say is if you trade even a million dollar contract away Kassian is cheaper than claiming him would be. Waivers are tough because its 1 taking on a contract which pushes a team closer or to a limit.
2 costs a team towards a cap…there is little benefit to claiming a guy in most cases, and its not really “free”.
Its not just the price of the contract, it is also the number of contracts a team already has. A team is only allowed a certain number of contacts. If a team is already at the max number they can’t claim him, they will need to trade for him and send another contracted the other way.
more than likely moved dreger said was interest from other teams in him.
Weber is a great player but makes no sense for Edmonton at this time of their rebuilding. More sense would be a contending team.
Oiler simply can’t stand pat with the porous backline and goal and expect improvement from within to be commensurate the McDavid spike in their offensive production.
If the right move can fix those parts, they actuall take a qualitative jump where they can beat better teams on a consistent basis. Without a stronger presence they continue in limbo with a rudder out of place and an oar out of the water.
My personal opinion that Shea Weber has always been one of the most over-rated players at his position. People are overly-impressed with the rocket point shot the size and sometime physicality but it doesn’t mask the brain farts and lack of coolness in the heat of big games. HE is a top 20 guy granted, and someone like Edmonton could get better with his addition even if it costs a RNH AND a Jordan Eberle, two players who we all are waiting for to earn their inflated salaries.
I get that the Predators really need a fist line centre and leader on offensive that lets the other forwards get better around him. At least the 2 for Olier proposal might fule that Predator scoring engine, not sure if taking back a Johansen would be wise.
And isn’t more prudent if any team talking deal with Nashville might be better asking for the cap friendly (and signed) Mattias Ekholm a big defender coming into his wn and a Colin Wilson who may still blossom with the right team?
Ouch!
fist was FIRST
Fule was FUEL
A top 20 Dman in almost every statistical category you could choose to use in any given year since year 3 in the NHL. Points, goals, hits, blocked shots, shots on net etc with the odd exception. Top 3 in puts for Dman in the NHL over the last 5 years. The only other Dman in the NHL that can put up the same points & hits like Weber or as often as Weber is Big Buff who’said a train wreck defensively. When Weber’so on the ice rest assured you better know it if playing for the other team.
Weber isn’t enough to pry Crosby or Malkin out of Pittsburgh. It would start with Forsburg, Weber, 1st round pick, top prospect and still more to win the bidding.
Then its just not going to happen now is it ?
The whole Scott Burnside article was all over the map. Malkin, Crosby, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, Draisaitl and so on. All these players doesn’t have an equal trade value. Yet Burnside insisted a trade for one and the same player.
I believe it’s best to trade a player when value is at its highest, and Weber would fetch a good return in this moment in time. A few years from now, who knows how his play is and who knows what his worth would be then – probably less. Nashville already has plan B in place. If this was pre-salary cap era I would suggest keep him, but in this era it would make more sense to balance out their team a little and manage the cap while its possible. I don’t think Weber would command the absolute highest return as any team trading for him would theoretically risk an expensive buyout down the line, so that would play into potential suitors and how much could be had in return in a trade. Parting with Webers coming large payouts is also part salary relief so that plays into perceived value for any takers. So just Eberle straight up in a trade is obviously too little, but suggesting Malkin would be too much. Any trade could be balanced out by players and picks of course.
Too bad Sather is gone or the Leafs would be able to get at least 2 firsts and a second for Komarov
The Oilers could take Weber for one Player Ryan or Jordan, but we would trade a Leon, Taylor, Darnel or a Connor. But wait! if the Preds want a second player we could toss in Justin Schultz.!
Not sure why he shows Phillips as Ottawa’s most difficult to trade. This is his last year at $2.5 per cap hit – which is peanuts compared to most other on that list which have years to run at $5 and $6 mil up. Yeah, no one will want him so I doubt they’re even looking for ways to get rid of him. The guy I’d have listed is Greening, costing them $2,650,000 for this year and next.