Star defenseman signs huge offer sheet with Flyers

From Comcast SportsNet
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A person with knowledge of the decision says the Philadelphia Flyers have signed Nashville star defenseman Shea Weber to a 14-year offer sheet worth more than 100 million.The Sports Network in Canada first reported the offer.The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the Flyers hadn't announced the offer.Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren confirmed early Thursday that the Flyers did sign Weber to an offer sheet. He gave no further details.Predators part owner W. Brett Wilson posted on Twitter, "Am aware of Philly offer."Weber, 26, is the Predators' captain and played on a 7.5 million arbitrator's award last season. He had 19 goals and 49 points along the way. The team has seven days to match the offer.Nashville already lost free-agent defenseman Ryan Suter to Minnesota this summer, and losing Weber would be an unexpected blow to a defense-first team that had 104 points last season, took the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.Meanwhile, Weber would fill the void left by Philadelphia defenseman Chris Pronger's absence. Pronger -- a key cog in the Flyers' run to the 2010 Stanley Cup finals -- has been battling concussion problems and missed most of last season. He finished with one goal in 13 games as the Flyers bowed out in the second round to New Jersey after a promising, 103-point regular season.The Flyers were exposed on defense in a five-game, Round 2 loss to New Jersey, and since have lost defenseman Matt Carle, who snared a six-year, 33 million deal with Tampa Bay. Weber would fix a lot of those problems.