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On the chances of Shea Weber getting an offer sheet

Nashville Predators v Phoenix Coyotes

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 03: Shea Weber #6 of the Nashville Predators walks back to the locker room after warm ups to the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on November 3, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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We’re only going to comment on one of Elliotte Friedman’s 30 44 thoughts, because you should just go read the column yourself.

The thought we chose relates to Shea Weber and the possibility of Nashville’s captain receiving an offer sheet:

Been a lot written about a one-year, huge-money offer sheet. Think a couple of good teams have at least thought about it. Look, if you really believe getting Weber is going to mean giving up four 27th picks, he’s worth it. Now, I know the counter: what if he leaves you after just one year? This is the dicey part: you almost need a nudge-nudge, wink-wink “understanding” that he’s going to stay. And, if Gary Bettman finds out, he’s going to CRUSH the team that does it. Google “David Stern Joe Smith Timberwolves.”

To save you a Google search, in 2000, Stern took away five first-round picks from the T-Wolves (and fined them $3.5 million) after Minnesota GM Kevin McHale secretly promised Smith a big contract in the future if he signed for a song in the present (because McHale needed the cap space immediately).

And that’s the problem with offer-sheeting Weber. If it’s for one year, how do you know he’ll stay longer than that (without meeting his agent at 2 a.m. in an underground parking garage)? And if it’s a multi-year offer, Weber probably doesn’t sign because he knows the Preds will match.

We suppose there’s a chance the offer is so massive the Preds let him walk and take the four first-round picks, but ownership and GM David Poile would get absolutely ripped by the fans for that. Not only have the Preds said they’ll match, failing to get any NHL-ready talent in return could mean a real tough 2012-13 season in Nashville, and likely beyond.