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Preds match! -- Weber to remain in Nashville

Shea Weber

Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber celebrates his first of two goals against the Detroit Red Wings in the third period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. Weber had the game-winning goal as the Predators won 4-3. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

AP

The Nashville Predators have matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ 14-year, $110 million offer for Shea Weber, ensuring their captain will remain club property through 2025-26.

The statement from the Preds’ website:

As the organization analyzed the overall situation and worked toward a conclusion, the decision boiled down to three questions:

- Was Shea Weber the individual that this franchise wanted to lead our team, a team that would compete for the Stanley Cup every year, for the next 14 years?

- Would matching the offer sheet be in the best long-term interest of the team and organization?

- Would a decision not to match the offer sheet send a negative message to current Predators players and other NHL organizations, a message that the Predators would only go so far to protect its best players and be pushed around by teams with “deep pockets?”

The answer to each of the above questions is clearly “yes.” The organization spent the last several days analyzing all aspects of the offer sheet, from economic implications to the impact on the team hockey operations puts on the ice.

Most importantly was the reaction to whatever decision the organization reached and the impact it would have on our fans, sponsors and marketing partners. We wanted to insure that our decision reflected not just the feelings of these groups but also conveys a strong message to them that our actions would speak for us and demonstrate our commitment to them. It was absolutely essential that they understand and believe that we are doing everything possible to ice a Stanley Cup competing team each and every season.

More to come…