Hypocrite, I Think Not

'This is the mind through which all blessings flow.'

Just wanted to throw my 20cents in on this whole Burke offer sheet to Kessel thing, as if you gave a shit. But I'll be quick.

Here's the money quote from Burke, on Kevin Lowe's offer sheet to Dustin Penner...

"I have no problem with offer sheets, they are part of the CBA. I think it's a tool certainly a team is entitled to use. My issue here is this 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 who is fighting to keep his job."

The offer sheet to Penner was five years for $21.25million. That's $4.25million a year for a guy who wasn't any more than checking line material, or at the very best, a big ass in front of the net. Sure he came off a Stanley Cup win, and was second on the team in goals, but he was playing with Getzlaf and Perry, two guys who are taking quality shots all game long, with plenty of rebounds for Penner to garbage pick. This was way too much for this type of player, which has become obvious since his time in Edmonton.

That same summer Lowe offered Thomas Vanek a seven year, $50million deal coming of his rookie contract. The question is still up in the air as to whether Vanek is worth this type of money, but in the end he probably will be, putting up points for a team that lacks offensive punch.

Burke's issue with Lowe was that he was offering too much to players who weren't worth that kind of money, it wasn't that he made offer sheets, it was that he offered too damn much.

I have to believe that if Burke extends an offer to Kessel it is going to be fair market value, but that's obviously more than what the Bruins can afford. So what the hell is Kessel supposed to do? Not play because his previous team can't afford to pay him? And Burke, and for that matter any other GM in the league (with available cap space), is just supposed to sit there with their hands folded and pretend not to steal glances at his cleavage? C'mon.

The move, in my opinion, is genious by Burke because it adds a top 6 forward which the Leafs so desperately need, and it takes it from the division rival Bruins. The same spit-in-the-face, kick-dirt-on-'em move as luring Komisarek away from the Habs.

Bottom line, if Burke offers more than Kessel's worth then you can call him a hypocrite.