5. Weber’s 14-year deal
Nashville Predators fans are not going to be happy with this ranking, and there is a reason it is only at No.5.
It’s because it did not hurt the team when Shea Weber was playing for the Predators, and Poile was all but forced to sign it, or else lose him to the Philadelphia Flyers. Yes, remember that this contract was an offer sheet that the Predators had to match in order to keep Weber.
But let’s not deny reality, this 14-year, $110M contract has not looked great in years. It all started in the 2017 offseason, when he got sidelined with an injury that kept him out for a portion of the ensuing regular season.
Weber returned to playing at a high level, but the injury concern never faded, and it looks as if his deteriorating body has finally caught up with him.
With five years left on the contract, Weber is already out for the entirety of next season, and all signs point to him having played his last game in the NHL.
And if that is the case, this signing could come back to haunt the Predators. Most likely, he just retires via LTIR, as most players in his situation have done and will continue to do.
Nonetheless, it is still a scary feeling to think that the Predators could be on the hook for over $20M in one season depending on if and when Weber decides to call it quits for good.
Weber is and always will be a fan favorite among the Smashville faithful, but would Poile make that signing if he knew what he did now, and did not trade him in 2016? I’m not confident in that.