The Nashville Predators got some fortification for their center depth chart today, signing UFA forward Jasper Weatherby to a one-year, two-way contract. Per the team, the contract carries the league minimum $775K cap hit. PuckPedia reports he’ll earn $115K at the AHL level.
A 2018 fourth-round selection of the San Jose Sharks, Nashville will be Weatherby’s third NHL organization in a matter of months. The 25-year-old Oregon product was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in January after a beyond-disappointing AHL showing with the San Jose Barracuda to start 2022-23.
Weatherby actually captured a stable fourth-line spot on the Sharks for the better part of 2021-22, recording five goals and 11 points in 50 games. It was impressive work for a late-round pick in his first professional season after wrapping up a three-year stint at the University of North Dakota, which saw him record 24 points in 29 games during his final season.
This past season was rather unkind to Weatherby, however. He failed to make the Sharks out of camp and proceeded to score just three goals and six points in 39 games to start the season with the Barracuda, spearheading the move to Detroit. With the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, Weatherby still posted just 11 points in 31 games.
He’ll aim for a career reset in Nashville, looking to play a more integral role down the middle for their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. With the team signing Ryan O’Reilly and needing to save spots for promising youngsters down the middle like Cody Glass, Thomas Novak, and Juuso Parssinen, Weatherby’s chances of making the roster are slim, even with his 50 games of NHL experience in San Jose.
Weatherby will be a restricted free agent again next offseason, this time with arbitration rights. Detroit opted not to issue him a qualifying offer last week, making him available to all 32 teams on the open market.
“Willoughby, this stop is Willoughby.”
“Weatherby. Looking for the stop at Weatherby.”
“Sorry, sir, there is no stop called Weatherby on this route.”
“Well, I’ll just have to make one, then!”
“Hey, you can’t jump off a moving train!”
“Of course I can. I’m a hockey player. We can do anything. Well, almost.”
“Almost?”
“Yep. Just don’t ask me to go toe-to-toe with Reaves, Wilson, or Trouba. That would be just nuts!”
What in the name of Jasper Weatherby just happened here?! :D
@Gbear – I suppose you were stuck in traffic all this time? Weatherby. Reminded me of an episode of The Twilight Zone called, “A Stop at Willoughby”. Not a comedic episode, but one where you sympathize with the main character, especially when he tells his boss off. He commutes on a train and often dozes off, dreaming about a stop named Willoughby. It’s set around the turn of the last century. Life is a lot calmer and more peaceful. No worrying about skating through the neutral zone with your head down, either. :) I’m not sure if there’s a legit way to tie Carol Burnett’s character from a different episode to anything on PHR, but her character’s last name, Grep, is used all the time in the Linux world. And, if there’s bet money on the line and somebody asks you if Jonathan Winters was ever in an episode of The Twilight Zone, tell them YES! “A Game of Pool”, with Jack Klugman.
I know more now about the Twilight Zone than I ever have, lol!
@Gbear – From somebody who has watched every episode, multiple times. I even bought “The Twilight Zone Companion” book 30+ years ago (now a bit tattered). If reruns are ever on where you live, look out for one called “Hocus, Pocus, and Frisby”, with the late Andy Devine.
@Mac – Were the Preds forseen in any of these episodes? :D
@Gbear – I’m afraid so. “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” and “Black Leather Jackets”. Just turn the brightness down on the old Magnavox when you see the beefy Jack Weston in a Hawaiian Shirt. You’ll wonder who the real monsters are. :) You could also add “The Old Man in the Cave” to that list. James Coburn didn’t have a happy ending in that one.