Thoughts on the Shea Weber Attempted Trade

I’m not going to talk much about the offer sheet that Nashville Predators’ defenseman signed with the Philadelphia Flyers late last night.  I don’t know if the Predators will match, I don’t care if it’s a particularly good deal or not.

The thing that interests me is that, prior to the offer sheet being signed, the Red Wings were attempting to trade for Weber.  Honestly, I just do not understand why.

The Predators have a legitimate rivalry with the Red Wings now.  With both teams having lost key pieces of their blue line this summer, Nashville was not going to deal their captain and one of the top defensement in the league to Detroit without a king’s ransom going the other way in return.

I find it hard to believe that whatever it would have taken for the Wings to pry Weber’s rights away from the Preds would have been worth less to Detroit than the four first-round draft picks that would go to Nashville as compensation for signing Weber away.  As we hear time and time again, teams know the Wings need defensive help and are trying to bend them over the barrel in trades.

The Wings had the chance to do what the Flyers did.  They didn’t need to play nice with Nashville and work out a deal.  They could have just signed Weber and forfeited the picks.

I didn’t expect Weber to end up in Detroit this summer (or next, for that matter) so I don’t see this as a big loss for the Wings.  I’m just shocked (and somewhat annoyed) that the team’s front office seemingly ignored the offer sheet option if they really wanted to acquire him.