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Report: Nashville wanted Couturier as part of potential Weber trade

Sean Couturier

Philadelphia Flyers’ Sean Couturier skates to the bench during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011, in Philadelphia. Couturier had two goals in the Flyers 9-2 victory. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

AP

TSN’s Darren Dreger has revealed two key developments that paved the way to Philadelphia signing Shea Weber to a 14-year, $110 million offer sheet.

The first is that Nashville GM David Poile and Philly GM Paul Holmgren were in trade talks for Weber -- talks that stalled, according to Dreger, with several deadlines passed. Holmgren simply grew tired of waiting, and signed Weber to the sheet.

The second development is equally important, and tied into the first:

Poile was asking for a boatload in return (as you’d expect.)

“Won’t spent much time scouring for Weber trade details,” Dreger tweeted. “But I’ve heard Preds wanted Couturier, Schenn and something else from Flyers. Ouch.”

“Couturier” is, of course, Sean Couturier, the 19-year-old that scored 27 points in 77 games last year in an impressive rookie campaign. He then upped the ante in a first-round victory over Pittsburgh by blanketing Evgeni Malkin and becoming the second-youngest player in NHL history to record a postseason hat-trick.

“Schenn” is presumably Brayden Schenn, 20, who had 12 goals in 54 games during the regular season, then scored nine points in 11 playoff games, finishing third on the team in assists.

(One could make the argument it’s Braydon’s brother, Luke, the 22-year-old defenseman acquired from Toronto, as the Preds might want a replacement defenseman coming back in the deal. But that would be a stretch, especially since Brayden is more highly-touted -- if you’re asking for the moon in return for Weber, you’re asking for the more highly-touted Schenn.)

(Or maybe Nashville just wants ALL THE SCHENNS. H/T to JR Lind for that one.)

It’s understandable the Flyers wouldn’t want to part with Couturier and Brayden Schenn, two of the cornerstones of their young forward group. Philly already flipped 23-year-old James van Riemsdyk to Toronto -- that, along with the departure of Jaromir Jagr, suggests increased roles for both Couturier and Schenn next season.