Upon Further Review

As much as it’s been a slow year for trades building buzz for the NHL, you can’t say the same for contracts.

As the CBA and the salary cap have made swapping players challenging if not impossible at times Edmonton general manager Kevin Lowe’s offer-sheet summer made all 29 other GMs in the league snap to attention and make sure their young talent is locked up long term.

This has changed the league from one that rewards players with large contracts towards the tail end of their careers into one where GMs are more about predicting the future and securing prospects.

Mike Richards gets the 12-year deal from the Flyers, Alex Ovechkin gets the Burger King Whopper combo of 13 years at $124 million US and there are still more to come as well and the most interesting ones are defencemen.

Phaneuf the biggest of blue-liners

The discussions between the Calgary Flames and Dion Phaneuf continue with Phaneuf’s camp eyeing something significant both in dollars and term. And don’t think for a second that Phaneuf’s camp isn’t taking a long look at the Ovechkin deal and sniffing for something similar.

Rumours around the league not too long ago had the hard-hitting blue-liner turning down a five-year, $30 million US offer. Now, the Flames don’t want to pay anyone more than their captain - and potential league MVP - Jarome Iginla ($7 million per season). But Calgary may have to with Phaneuf since you know there’s a GM out there come July 1 who will submit an offer sheet for Phaneuf pretty much maxing him out and forcing Calgary’s hand.

But the Phaneuf deal is not the only interesting situation involving defencemen out there as we speak.

Hard-nosed Nashville blue-liner Shea Weber (Phaneuf’s partner at the world junior championship in Grand Forks in 2004) is an impending restricted free agent, and while he has been troubled with a rash of injuries, his stock remains high around the league.

A side note: If Weber didn’t play in hockey-sad Nashville and played in a more high-profile market he would be talked about in pretty much the same way as Phaneuf (minus the shot where Phaneuf still has him licked).

But again, what’s the right price for Weber? Especially on a team like the Predators who are a “budget” not a “cap” squad.

Try these guys on for size

Considering we live in a world of comparables have a look around the league and ask yourself who you would rather have patrolling your blue-line for the next 10 years, Shea Weber or…

Brent Burns of the Minnesota Wild? Burns makes in the neighbourhood of $3.5 million. I’ll take Weber.

How about Kevin Bieksa of the Vancouver Canucks? He’s in and around $3.8. Again, Weber thank you.

Matt Carle of the San Jose Sharks? $3.6. Give me the kid from Sicamous, B.C.

Ryan Whitney of the Pittsburgh Penguins and his $4 million? Still Weber.

So the team will be looking at paying in the neighbourhood of $4 to $4.5 million for Weber, who has suited up for a total of 124 NHL regular season games and two playoff contests.

I know it sounds outrageous, but considering the group of players he’s in with and the fact that another GM somewhere will pay him more than he’s worth at this point in his career, Nashville boss David Poile will have to open up the wallet, reach down deep and make Weber the highest-paid player on the team (or at least on the same level as Jason Arnott at $4.5 million).

Seriously, how can you walk away from this?

Oh, and Ryan Suter is also restricted come July 1. Over to you new owners in Nashville.

And there’s more … Ottawa has a situation to deal with involving Andrei Meszaros. His camp wants Matt Carle-type money while Ottawa GM Bryan Murray told us on Hockey Night in Canada Radio he thinks Meszaros is best compared with Braydon Coburn ($1.3 million) of the Philadelphia Flyers. Either way (and speculation is Meszaros will get the money he’s after) there probably won’t be enough dough in the Ottawa kitty to re-sign Wade Redden who will hit the market this summer.

Campbell to bolt Buffalo?

And speaking of hitting the market did you hear about the Buffalo Sabres Brian Campbell? Yeah, he’s called off negotiations with the Swords and it appears he will go the route of Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, shuffling out of Buffalo.

On today’s edition of Hockey Night in Canada Radio, Kelly Hrudey co-hosts for the full two hours. We’ll be joined by Phoenix Coyotes forward Joel Perrault, who rocked Kris Beech of the Vancouver Canucks last Friday and got a big goal as the Desert Dogs toppled the Sharks 5-3 last night.

Speaking of last night, we had a beauty between Krys Barch of the Dallas Stars and Brad May of the Ducks. Check it out.

Also on the show today, Chicago Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon talks to us about defenceman Duncan Keith going to the all-star game in Atlanta, Pat Kane looking like an early candidate for the Calder Trophy and if the Hawks will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.

Sabres analyst (and former Sabre) Mike Robitaille discusses the Brian Campbell situation and the growing concern that the Sabres will not make the playoffs this season after dominating the Eastern Conference last year.

We'll also talk to Canadian women's star Danielle Goyette, Chico Resch and Randy Moller.

Plus, we’ll open the phone lines at 1-877-666-HNIC (4642) to get your thoughts on anything and everything going on in the world of hockey.

Hope you can join us!!

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