Dog Days of Summer

Dakota
It seems that this time of year ("the dog days of summer") is where the hockey happenings come to a screeching halt. For the most part that is true. There are roughly 2 months and three days till the puck drop on the Fighting Sioux's run to championship number "8".

Currently I am experiencing a serious void that every summer brings. Summer is the three months of every year that means no hockey and a few outrageous restricted free agent National Hockey League signings. Now I am not a person to complain a lot, I bitch just as much as the next person but not excessively, but seriously, what do I have to complain about? I am still above ground at least I think I am, I have played a fair amount of some really bad golf this summer. Add to that, I have also experienced the addition of a new family member to my family and watched three World of Outlaws shows, I know it's not hockey but it does fill the void.

Burke Fails to Match the Oilers offer sheet on Penner

While this long hot summer has gone on there have been some interesting developments in the professional hockey world. The one that caught my eye the most was the Edmonton Oilers signing Ducks free agent Dustin Penner to an outrageous and silly offer sheet for 5 years and 4.3 million per year. The Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke decided not to match and wasn't very happy with the move. Seriously folks, not matching the contract was a smart move by Burke.

Brian Burke's comments on the deal

will not be announcing whether or not we will match the offer sheet to Dustin Penner. I’m coming back to Anaheim on Sunday and conferring with ownership.

Kevin Lowe has been in Penticton. I certainly think this could have waited until Monday. I think it was a classless move, timing-wise. I was not notified of this until Dustin Penner’s agent faxed it in. I would have thought Kevin would have notified me.I thought that was gutless.

I have no problem with offer sheets. They’re part of the CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement]. But in my opinion, Edmonton has offered a mostly inflated salary for a player, and I think it’s an act of desperation for a general manager who is fighting to keep his job.

Offer sheets are a part of the CBA and I have no problem with that. If you can identify a player and pay him appropriately and make him an offer, that’s fine. At some point, the deals you make, the offers you extend, whether the team matches it or not, impacts all 30 teams, including your own. It’s a five-year deal for a lot of money. I’ll let you guys evaluate the deal. It should be pretty clear why I’m irate.

Seriously folks lets break this offer sheet down; that is a lot of cash 21.25 million dollars for a second tier player. Are you kidding me? This a second year professional player that scored 29 goals in 2006-07, adding 16 assists for 45 points in 82 games. Would someone please tell me why we lost a whole season of hockey squabling about the CBA because the owners in the NHL said they were suffering finacially. Kevin Lowe and the Oilers in two swift moves this summer have put the NHL down the slippery slope again of over paying free agent hockey players.

From the HockeyBuzz.com Daniel Tolensky's blog

Penner will be tied for the 75th highest paid player in the league next year with Bobby Holik, Tomas Kaberle, Mike Modano, Mattias Norstrom and Henrik Lundqvist.
-----snip-----
Does Penner's name really look out of place on this list?


Scott Hartnell - $25.2 mil ($4.2 x 6)
Brenden Morrow - $24.6 mil ($4.1 x 6)
Derek Roy - $24 mil ($4 x 6)
Nathan Horton - $24 mil ($4 x 6)
Ryan Whitney - $24 mil ($4 x 6)
Dustin Penner - $21.5 mil ($4.3 x 5)
Jason Blake - $20 mil ($4 x 5)
Michael Nylander - $19.5 mil ($4.875 x 4)
Cory Sarich - $18 mil ($3.8 x 5)
Michael Handzus - $16 mil ($4 mil x 4)

I would have to say that Penner looks to be over paid. Even from the perspective of a Sioux fan there is no way Penner belongs in the that group of free agents as Parise and Blake, in fact he isn't even close to being worth as much if any thing Zach should have held out for more money.