PhilsFan
Blue Crack Addict
Larson is a very good defenceman,
Disagree.
Larson is a very good defenceman,
Did the Oilers just make the worst trade in NHL history?
...except he's a Panthers fan, not a Lightning fan.
It is an insane trade. That Weber is a good player is not a defense of the deal. Subban is better, younger, and has a better contract. When there is no rational defense of the trade, it's insane.
I...there were no draft picks involved in the Subban/Weber trade? Nothing? You've got to be kidding me.
It's not just that Subban is better, but the contract the Habs just took on is obscene.
seeing his salary go from $12 million next season to $6 million in 2018-19, $3 million 2022-23 and then $1 million each of the final three years through 2025-26.
Don't you remember my disdain for your victory in the playoffs? Haha
It doesn't matter what the salary is, the cap hit is the same ($7.8 million) every year.Weber's contract heavily frontloaded, it drops significantly as time goes on.
And the NHL's occasional way of trying to change that is always stupid shit like "Let's ban playoff beards so fans can learn what our players look like!"The issue, at least for me, is not that Weber isn't a good defenceman. He's not as good a skater as Subban is, plus he's logged extremely hard minutes in the tougher Western conference. He'll likely have, at best, three more good years before dropping off, at which point Subban will turn 30 and still in his prime. There is a 2 year window for Montreal to win, because when Price's contract is up, I don't think he's resigning. I think Weber will be great and possibly really help in those 2 years, but after that...
No, the main problem I have with it is the reasons behind the trade. Subban is a beloved figure in Montreal, transcending hockey. Even outside of his great work with sick children, he's really a community-minded person. But beyond that, it's obvious that there were other factors at play. Subban never endeared himself to his coach and GM because he has a unique personality. He's happy, outgoing, gregarious, always smiling - win or lose he never pouted - and just enjoys his life outside of hockey. He's a star who loved the limelight. In that regard he reminds me of another Montreal icon - Gary Carter. Some of his teammates didn't like that he never shied away from cameras or interviews, but like Subban he was a beloved figure in the community.
Whether you think so or not, the NHL is the most conservative of the 4 major North American sports. There's still this archaic idea of the small-town Canadian kid who plays tough, hard-nosed hockey, puts his head down, doesn't speak out of turn, talks in cliches, and fits into a team-first structure. Think a Jonathan Toews type.
Subban is a tough competitor. A few years ago he said he couldn't wait to go to Boston for Game 7 to silence the fans. And then he went out and literally destroyed the Bruins on his own. But there apparently is no room for an individual personality like him, and it's a shame. The NHL still markets teams over players, and I read a long piece last year where Subban said he thinks that's wrong and he has ideas about how to more effectively brand its star players. This is why the NHL will always be an afterthought in some markets.