NHL Trade Rumors: Shea Weber and Others in Need of Change of Scenery

Sometimes, the best thing for an athlete is leaving behind their former city for a new place where they can start over.  

It’s why a player like Nashville Predators' Shea Weber has to get traded at the NHL’s trade deadline.  

Weber is the best player and the face of the Predators franchise. He was a restricted free agent at the end of last year, but the Predators and Weber could not come to a long-term agreement.  

With Weber winning a one-year, $7.5 million contract for this year after his arbitration hearing, it didn’t solve anything and Weber could leave the team after the end of this year as a restricted free agent.  

Nashville has shown that they either cannot or do not want to sign Weber to a long-term contract and could see him leave for little to nothing. If the Predators start to slip out of playoff contention in the second half of the season, they should move the defenseman for another All-Star player and a first- or second-round pick. 

Calgary Flames Center, Olli Jokinen 

Jokinen was put in this same spot a couple of years ago, when the talented center was trying to get out of a bad spot in New York by getting traded to Calgary. Now, Jokinen is about to become a free agent at the end of the year, and could help out a team that is weak at center.  

What Jokinen could bring to a team like the Dallas Stars, is that second- to third-line center that can help give this Dallas team another dangerous scoring line.  

In Olli’s 13 years in the NHL, he has never gone deep in the NHL playoffs. Heading to Dallas would give Jokinen a team that could make a push deep into the second to third round of this year’s playoffs, while helping him earn another high-paying contract next year. 

Edmonton Oilers Winger, Ales Hemsky  

Hemsky is in his final season with the Oilers. His time with Edmonton has seen Hemsky grow into a must-have top-six forward in the NHL. However, even if injuries have slowed Hemsky down this season, he would still be an excellent addition to a team that is in need of a goal scorer.  

While the Oilers are still a year away from being a legit playoff contender, they should move Hemsky at the trade deadline for a second-round pick; unless they can convince another team to give them a first-round pick for the winger.  

A team like the Buffalo Sabers would benefit greatly from the addition of Hemsky. 

Buffalo currently sits at 17th in goals per game, only averaging a little over two-and-a-half goals per game. A pure goal scorer like Hemsky would be that missing piece to a Sabers roster that is very close at making a deep run in the playoffs. 

These three players all would make for immediate improvements if they would get traded at the deadline—their teams would benefit from their departure by getting a number of great draft picks or prospects in return. 

Follow @tjmcaloon