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David Poile isn’t letting this Suter thing go

David Poile

David Poile remains beside himself that Ryan Suter chose to sign in Minnesota instead of Nashville. The Predators’ general manager just can’t understand why any defenseman would pass up the opportunity to play with Shea Weber, even if’s not close to home or in a traditional hockey market.

“Whether this franchise is in Timbuktu, the one point of not choosing to stay and play with Shea Weber, I will never, ever understand that,” Poile said Friday, as per The Tennessean.

On Wednesday, Poile called Suter’s decision a “missed opportunity” to combine with Weber to form the “best defensive pair ever in the National Hockey League history.”

Worse for Poile, Suter may not be the only star defenseman Nashville ends up losing. Weber has yet to sign a long-term contract and is only tied to the Preds until July 1, 2013.

Can the GM convince his captain to stay?

“[Weber] believes in us, sees himself as the leader of our hockey club, and I think he, a lot like us, is disappointed with the outcome with Ryan,” Poile said. “So having said that, we have to both get back up on the horse and find a way to fill the hole and move forward. Hopefully that will be together. Right now, if you ask me, I think Shea feels that way.”

Weber, a restricted free agent, chose not to file for arbitration, leaving the following potential scenarios:

– The two sides negotiate a contract.

– Weber signs an offer sheet that Nashville can either match or decline. If the Preds decline, they get compensation in the form of draft picks, as laid out here. If they match a one-year deal, they can’t trade him.

– Weber is traded.