Frederick Breedon
Nashville Predators all-star defenceman Shea Weber said Wednesday that he will re-sign with the team in the near future. Weber becomes a restricted free agent on July 1.
"It's going to get done," Weber said. "Obviously, this is a place I love to play, and you saw how close we were this year to getting to the conference finals, and possibly further. This is a place I want to be, and it's going to be a matter of time before something gets done."
Weber signed a three-year, $13.5-million contract in 2008. If he's not signed by July 1, another team could sign him to an offer sheet, which the Predators would have the option to match. If the Predators decided not to match, they would be compensated with draft picks.
Weber made $4.5-million this past season and the Predators would certainly need to boost that number if they want to hang onto their all-world blueliner. Weber scored 16 goals and added 32 assists with the team last season and finished the year with a plus-7 rating. He helped the Predators advance to the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs before being eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks this week.
Predators General Manager David Poile said he would meet with Weber's representatives within the next two weeks to begin negotiations.
"They definitely want to wrap it up before July 1, and we would also, if all things were equal," Poile said during a season-ending press conference. "Will we be able to sign Shea Weber? The answer is yes."