The Number Is Out and It Is $7.5 Million for Shea Weber

Multiple reports indicate that the arbitration verdict is out and that Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators will receive $7.5 million for the upcoming 2011-12 season.

Weber and the Predators were unable settle on a figure prior to Tuesday's arbitration hearing. During arguments the figures thrown out by the two parties ranged from $4.75 to 8.5 million by the two sides.

Weber will again be a restricted free agent at the end of the next season but the team cannot ask that he return to arbitration for a second time under the current collective bargaining agreement. He will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2013 if he is not signed to a longer term contract in the interim.

I had speculated last week that a fair figure would be between $7 and $7.25 million so the final amount was with in a reasonable range based on other comparables. It would appear that a potential long term deal would start at the $7.5 figure and escalate from there making a lengthy deal unlikely at this time.

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Weber back in 2011-12

Nashville Predators captain Shea Weber was awarded a one-year contract worth $7.5 million this afternoon, by the independent arbiter who presided over his hearing with the Predators on Tuesday in Toronto.

Weber, 25 (8/14/85), was runner up for the 2011 Norris Trophy in the closest vote since 1996 after tying for 10th among NHL defensemen in points (16g-32a-48pts), fourth at the position in goals and sixth in hits (211) while setting a franchise record for average ice time (25:19) in 2010-11. The two-time All-Star Game selection (2011, 2009) is tied for the most goals by an NHL blueliner since the 2006-07 (78), ranking among the top five in the category in four of the last five seasons.

Last summer, the Sicamous, B.C, native was named the fifth captain in franchise history, becoming the first Predators draftee to wear the “C.” Nashville’s fourth choice, 49th overall (second round) in the 2003 Entry Draft earned a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, being named the Olympic All-Star Team in the process after tying for second among all tournament defensemen in points (2g-4a) while ranking second on the team in average ice time (20:37). He has also won a World Championship (2007), a World Junior Championship (2005), a Memorial Cup (2005) and two WHL Championships (2003, 2005)

The 6-4, 230-pound Weber has amassed 214 points (80g-134a) in 402 games since 2005, good for 10th on the Nashville Predators all-time points list and second among blueliners.


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Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass