predjoe

"My Take On The Preds"

TN • United States • 40 Years Old • Male

Get The Lead Out Boys!

We are getting down to crunch time here. Free Agency begins July 1st and right now the Predators are not 100% sure who will own the team at that time. In order for a sale to happen the prospective buy Jim Basillie needs to appear before the NHL board of governers. A meeting is scheduled for June on June 20th…while it is not too late to get on the agenda time is running out.

Let’s break each scenario down:

Balsillie presents to the NHL and gets approved on June 20th…the Preds are his: This, in my opinion, is the best option for Pred fans. Balsillie ahs said (through his attorney since he is honoring the agreement that he made with Leipold to remain silent until the deal is done) that money will not be an issue. He has bought this team with a goal of winning a Stanley Cup. For Preds fans this was welcome news.

“We want to give David Poile a very generous budget to build the team however he wants, having regard only to the league salary cap and not to any budget restraints imposed by ownership,” Balsillie’s lawyer Richard Rodier said. “This is about winning, buying a team that has a shot at winning the Cup in our view.”

Wow! Who would have dreamt that we would have an owner of this team who was willing to lay it all out there like that. If this happens we can look for Nashville to make some VERY big moves in free agency. Start making the wish list ’cause Santa Claus is coming to town’ boys!

The team is not sold by July 1st: This would not be good in any way. If the Preds are not able to resign some of their key UFA’s and are not able to play ball the first week of free agency then leftovers is all we’ll get. Guys who, though talented, may be asking way above market price forcing us to pay them too much or guys we just don’t want. This is not good for the team, fans or whoever the owner ends up being. Remember we have made some big splashes early in the FA period that last couple of years. First Paul Kayria and then last year signing Jason Arnott.

I hope that Balsillie and Leipold work hard to get this deal done on June 20th.

Visit www.savethepredators.com to find out how you can help keep this team in Nashville.