National Hockey League (NHL) Players with most responsibility in Western Conference –Part 5
There are many teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) that can claim to be some of the top in what they do and which division and conference they represent. However great the team might be, if year after year, performance does not improve and they cannot
go past the milestone set the previous season, it gives birth to the need that something must be changed.
Further discussing the players in the Western Conference who have to either step it up or make amendments in their game-style, we will discuss two captains who are facing the same dilemma on their side.
Shea Weber (Captain, Nashville Predators)
Shea Weber can easily be regarded as one of the, if not the best defenseman in the league, with his quick moves and powerful blows, the 26-year-old has created a new standard in terms of being on the lower end of the ice.
Last season, Weber potted 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) and played a vital role in all 82-games during his sixth straight season with Nashville Predators. Although Nashville made a big impact in this year’s playoffs by reaching round-two (semi-finals),
they still have a long way to go as a franchise.
The Sicamous, British Columbia, Canada native, revolutionised how salary arbitration hearings took place in the NHL during this year’s offseason. He did not file for the hearing himself, but rather Nashville did the honours and were faced with a shocking
decision. Predators were looking for a $5 million salary contract but the arbitrator, comparing him to the best in the league, awarded the exact opposite, a little less than what Weber had asked for, but still going out of the way by awarding a one-year, $7.5
million deal.
Now that Weber has received what he wanted, this year could prove crucial for the defenseman if the team and he remain on good terms. If not, Nashville could see themselves losing a top-class player in next year’s free agency.
Andrew Ladd (Captain, Winnipeg Jets)
Expected to be next seasons’ most viewed franchise, the newly relocated Winnipeg Jets, will have huge shoes to fill and a large fan base to please. Andrew Ladd being the captain, will face even more pressure as the team plans on using him to guide the former
Atlanta Thrashers.
Getting a contract of his choice (5-year, $22 million extension) and retaining captaincy, Ladd must obviously prove to be worth the price he asked for.
Looking at his previous stats, Ladd joined Atlanta last year after three straight seasons with Blackhawks and recorded a career high of 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists). It will be interesting to see whether the 25-year-old left winger can continue his high
flying next season.
To be continued in part 6...
(The views expressed by the writer are his own and do not reflect the editorial policy of www.bettor.com)
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