Rumors have been swirling around for weeks now in regards to Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber. Many believe that Weber will end up in Philadelphia, because of the gaping hole Chris Pronger has left in their line-up.
Well, things are beginning to heat up.
On Saturday, Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile added fuel to the fire. When asked what he plans on doing with soon-to-be free agents Shea Weber and Ryan Suter, Poile told CBC, "Ask me on February 27". For those who don't know, February 27 is the NHL trade deadline.
Interesting. You'd think a GM would say something along the lines of "Well, were going to try and get both of these guys locked up long term" or something to that nature, but Poile seems to hint that there may be a trade on the horizon. Of course, like a good GM, he does go on to say that he does plan on signing them, but acknowledges that it may not be possible.
In the article, one NHL executive even went as far as to say "If [Poile] wanted to, he could create quite an auction for either [player]," and also added, "If he trades one or both in February, he is going to get a huge return," said another GM. "If he waits until [after the playoffs], it's going to be much less."
I can't say I disagree. Usually the price on players is at an all time high come the trade deadline, as teams are looking to add that final piece that they need in order to make a nice, long playoff run. From these comments, it seems as though the Predators won't wait until after the deadline before dealing one of Suter or Weber.
So, could it be true? I've been saying for a few weeks now that this could be a very real possibility, and now it's looking like it's becoming increasingly more possible. Certainly this won't be something that happens right away, but I do believe that if one is to be traded, it will be at the deadline.
It could be a tough decision for Poile, as his team has a good shot at being in a playoff spot come February. He may not want to trade away any assets before the playoffs. However, depending on the return, there could be an offer that he may not be able to pass up, and Philadelphia has a bunch of attractive trade chips.
It remains to be seen exactly what will happen, but if you read between the lines, it seems as though the trade deadline this year is going to be an exciting one.
What do you think of Poile's comments? Do you think he's just trying to gain interest in his star defenseman? Or do you think he realizes that he can't sign both of them and is entertaining offers?
You can reach me on twitter @ManayunkMike for updates, news, rumors, and more.
Andrew McDonald Matt Martin Frans Nielsen Dwayne Roloson Jon Sim Jason Arnott
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