Don't expect Brian Burke to be sending Kevin Lowe any birthday invitations this season...again.
In his latest fit, Burke has blamed Lowe for the rise in salaries for young talented players such as Thomas Vanek, Corey Perry, and most notably Dustin Penner.
After signing Penner to a five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet, Burke had his hand forced to let Penner go for the betterment of the Ducks.
"You go right now from entry-level to what used to be a third contract, thanks to two offer sheets from Kevin Lowe."
Burke's squabblings come days after he re-signed forward Corey Perry to a five-year, $26.63 million extension. Perry will make slightly over $5 million a season. Other talented young players, such as Buffalo's Thomas Vanek, are going to earn around the same amount. The stock of these young talented stars is rising at an increasing rate.
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"I think [an offer sheet's] a tool certainly a team is entitled to use. My issue here is the second time this year in my opinion Edmonton have offered a grossly inflated salary for a player, and it impacts on all 30 teams and I think it's an act of desperation by a general manager trying to keep his job." Burke commented.
Just recently, players such as Joni Pitkanen, Sean Avery, and others have been signed at above-average prices for their respective abilities. Burke blames Lowe for all of the above and more.
"They're all being re-signed at inflated prices."
Don't expect to see Lowe at Burke's birthday party, charity golf outing, or anywhere else where the two will be in close vicinity...it's just not going to happen.
Sources:
www.tsn.ca/nhl
www.habsinsideout.com
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about 1 month ago
Kevin Lowe is also responsible for Global Warming, The War in Iraq, World Hunger and A-Rod's divorce...
from about 1 month ago
Don't forget 9/11, Katrina, high gas prices, and the Lockout.
about 1 month ago
LOL! I love this, I bet the boys went out for drinks at the draft and decided what to bitch about this year...
about 1 month ago
everyone read my article, i wrote a huge one about this and why burkie is right and wrong
from about 1 month ago
Yeah for sure Alan. Sorry to steal any thunder but you have a much more thorough read.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/34685-nhl-is-being-killed-by-free-agency
about 1 month ago
If the prices are inflated it will be the teams who are signing them that will run into problems because they will be limited on who else they can bring in due to the salary cap. That's how a salary cap works. You actually need to think about which players are important to your team and can't just sign everyone you want. It means you actually need to 'manage' your team's talent and expenses. Since when was that a problem?
about 1 month ago
I can see what Burke is saying I guess. It probably in Burke's mind boils down to a GM has to spend gobs of money to lock up a guy like Penner or Perry or risk seeing him go to a team that will spend it. Then Again, its not Edmonton's fault they don't spend to the cap yearly, like Anaheim has consistently to build a winner. They had cap issues as it was and had to give up Andy Mac for that aged slow ass Doug Weight.
I'm afraid I can't defend Burkie for his hatred of Lowe though, yes, in some respects he stole Penner...build a bridge and get the F over it Burkie, you have a Cup ring from 2007. Chill man, go to the beach and sip a mojito this weekend!
As far as the Ducks off season goes, ill take a losing season if we don't spend to the cap this year. I could also honestly care less about Teemu coming back, as thats only more money we have to spend.
from about 1 month ago
Sorry Ken for once I disagree with you. IMO, without Teemu, the Ducks are just another team like Minnesota, Vancouver, Phoenix, Chicago. With him, they are Top 5.
about 1 month ago
kevin lowe is a real gm,burke is the most overrated,when burke goes to toronto he will overpay,he would of probably paid 4.5 for stiff named finger....
about 1 month ago
Well maybe Lowe can whine about Burke when half of his veterans decide to start playing half way through the season
about 1 month ago
How much did Burke give a useless Bertuzzi last year? Oh right, I'm sure that was Lowe's fault too.
from about 1 month ago
No offense intended, but I think you are missing the point. Bertuzzi was a veteran and, therefore, commanded a veteran's salary (What Burke calls a Level III Contract). Penner was a 2nd year guy playing for a Level I Contract (~$600K).
What Burke is saying is that there are three levels of contracts (I,II, and III) and Lowe's offer to Penner (which was just a bluff, BTW) eliminated the Level II altogether and catupulted a 2nd year guy, a minus two player, into the 3rd level contract before he earned it.
Sure, there are exceptions. Clearly, Crosby and Ovechkin shouldnt have to play for a Level I, then II, then III contract. And Bertuzzi probably wasnt worth the Level III to the Ducks. But as a veteran, he has earned the right to be in that range.
Penner is a solid player and I wish the Ducks still had him But he went from $600K to $21 million overnight. Now every player in the NHL who scores 20-30 goals in his first or second year thinks he should get paid that much. The fact that Bertuzzi underperformed is irrelevant to the Penner situation.
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