Nashville needs to let Suter go, but can't afford to.
Posted 7:09 PM ET | Comments 0
I just want to go on the record here, as a Predator fan (and season ticket holder), with the view that it would be a massive mistake for the team to let Suter become a FA, but not for the reason you might think.
Nashville needs to sign Suter to prevent a bidding war for his services which will make Shea Weber too expensive at this time next year.
Personally, I wish they could just let Suter go. It's nothing personal; he's a great guy on and off the ice, and a superior player. But the team really needs to spend his $7m+ on a scorer, not on another defenseman (not that Suter is like any other defenseman, but you get the point).
The reality is that Nashville is going to have $25m per year tied-up on 3 players, none of which is a 30+goal scoring forward, and that is a huge problem. If you had to choose between Weber and Suter, you're going to choose Weber because of a) the size and b) the shot (which, arguably, are the only qualities Weber has which Suter lacks). Suter is probably the better skater and I think he sees the ice a little better than Weber, but you're going to choose Weber nonetheless. Nashville, I think, wants to make that choice; but the ONLY way the Preds will be able to afford the future cost of Shea Weber is to have some control over the present cost of Ryan Suter. David Poile can then trade Suter, hopefully for a proven scorer entering his prime; something the Preds have never really had.
Nashville has a 2-time Veznia-finalist in goal, and a 2-time Norris-finalist on the blueline. What is missing from this picture? A perennial Art Ross-contender, that's what.
Nashville needs to sign Suter to prevent a bidding war for his services which will make Shea Weber too expensive at this time next year.
Personally, I wish they could just let Suter go. It's nothing personal; he's a great guy on and off the ice, and a superior player. But the team really needs to spend his $7m+ on a scorer, not on another defenseman (not that Suter is like any other defenseman, but you get the point).
The reality is that Nashville is going to have $25m per year tied-up on 3 players, none of which is a 30+goal scoring forward, and that is a huge problem. If you had to choose between Weber and Suter, you're going to choose Weber because of a) the size and b) the shot (which, arguably, are the only qualities Weber has which Suter lacks). Suter is probably the better skater and I think he sees the ice a little better than Weber, but you're going to choose Weber nonetheless. Nashville, I think, wants to make that choice; but the ONLY way the Preds will be able to afford the future cost of Shea Weber is to have some control over the present cost of Ryan Suter. David Poile can then trade Suter, hopefully for a proven scorer entering his prime; something the Preds have never really had.
Nashville has a 2-time Veznia-finalist in goal, and a 2-time Norris-finalist on the blueline. What is missing from this picture? A perennial Art Ross-contender, that's what.