NASHVILLE, TN -- Shea Weber will be wearing a Nashville Predators jersey this coming season. That much we do know. But as next week's arbitration hearing looms, the sense of urgency to get a long-term contract hammered out is starting to grow.
The big question in Smashville right now is whether or not Weber commits to the organization long-term, or opts for a shorter-term contract.




To clear one thing up: the Predators cannot walk away from any arbitration reward next week since they opted for arbitration. The reason for some urgency, though, is that if negotiations head to arbitration (slated for Aug. 2), Weber will only be able to sign a one- or two-year deal. A contract with longer term, preferably four or five years, is obviously more ideal for GM David Poile and would need to be completed prior to arbitration.
A report in The Tennessean last week had the contract talks at a "stalemate," according to Weber's agent Jarrett Bousquet. There have also been some mixed reports about what kind of contract, short- or long-term, Weber wants.

One reason why the process has been stalled is because Weber switched agents this summer, from Don Meehan to Bousquet. But the fact that no deal is imminent has some people in Nashville on pins and needles.

Why? This is the biggest contract negotiation in team history.

Think about it. Weber is the first superstar the Predators have had. He is the face of the franchise. He is the captain. He is at the center of the team's whole 'changing of the guard,' from the veterans to the youth, in the last two years. The Preds are coming off their first ever playoff series victory; and with that monkey now off their back, head coach Barry Trotz feels they are "really close" to seriously contending for the Stanley Cup.

Not to mention, the cap number Weber receives could go a long way in determining the future of the club's other two stars, Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne, both of whom are entering the final year of their respective contracts.

Just as trading for Mike Fisher was a signal to Weber of the team's commitment to winning, a long-term contract for the captain could have a similar effect on Suter and Rinne. If those two know Weber is sticking with Nashville for the long haul, why not stay and continue the ascent to a Cup contender?

Weber signing long-term would be a huge shot in the arm for the franchise as a whole. Though he is of equal importance to the on-ice product as Suter and Rinne, Weber's star power and playing style is invaluable to the franchise. It would also help debunk the overplayed theory that Nashville can't keep their stars (which is only a reference to the summer of 2007).

A short-term deal, whether it's done through arbitration or not, is not favorable for the team. Anything less than a three- or four-year agreement will put Weber on track to become a UFA in his prime, which could spell danger for the Preds (depending on what happens to Suter and Rinne).

Though Weber has said all the right things about Nashville, his commitment to the organization may be put into question by some. Hypothetically speaking, if he gets a one-year deal via arbitration, Poile would be looking at the prospect of having to sign the 'big three' in one off-season -- a daunting task for any general manager.

With that being said, a one- or two-year deal wouldn't necessarily mean Weber is a goner once that contract runs up. He may wait and see how the team builds off last spring's success, see what they do with the other parts of the 'Big Three,' and then sign a long-term contract.

We're a week away from knowing the outcome of either this prolonged negotiation, or arbitration, between Weber's camp and the Predators. Fans in Music City have been sweating it out all summer.
The Fourth Period :: Nashville Predators :: Clock is ticking on Weber