Way to go Kevin.
Yes, Kevin Lowe was playing by the official rules when he made two offer sheets this past summer. He managed to snag Dustin Penner but in the process gave up three first round draft picks which looks like it might cost the Oilers a chance at Steve Stamkos this year and John Tavares the next.
That’s a disaster for Edmonton fans.
But there’s also a nice little time bomb that Lowe planted for the rest of the league’s fans.
GM’s are so freaked out by Lowe’s nutcase offer sheets that they are starting to throw insane amounts of money towards their restricted free agents. The Sharks just signed defenseman Matt Carle for four years at an annual cost of 3.5 bills. As Allen Panzeri notes in todays Ottawa Citizen, this means that Bryan Murray just lost all leverage with pending restricted free agent D-man Andrej Meszaros who compares favourably to Carle.
In short, Kevin Lowe’s shortsighted panic gave all the NHL’s restricted free agents total control and leverage over their general managers.
You can debate whether that’s a good thing or not, but essentially Kevin Lowe unwittingly changed the way the NHL works until the next CBA is negotiated.
Now imagine if Edmonton crashes out for the next two years and has to watch Brian Burke and the Ducks snag Steve Stamkos and John Tavares. That doesn’t even need to be elaborated on. It will go down in NHL history as the all time botch job.
Again. Way to go Kevin.
Yes, Kevin Lowe was playing by the official rules when he made two offer sheets this past summer. He managed to snag Dustin Penner but in the process gave up three first round draft picks which looks like it might cost the Oilers a chance at Steve Stamkos this year and John Tavares the next.
That’s a disaster for Edmonton fans.
But there’s also a nice little time bomb that Lowe planted for the rest of the league’s fans.
GM’s are so freaked out by Lowe’s nutcase offer sheets that they are starting to throw insane amounts of money towards their restricted free agents. The Sharks just signed defenseman Matt Carle for four years at an annual cost of 3.5 bills. As Allen Panzeri notes in todays Ottawa Citizen, this means that Bryan Murray just lost all leverage with pending restricted free agent D-man Andrej Meszaros who compares favourably to Carle.
In short, Kevin Lowe’s shortsighted panic gave all the NHL’s restricted free agents total control and leverage over their general managers.
You can debate whether that’s a good thing or not, but essentially Kevin Lowe unwittingly changed the way the NHL works until the next CBA is negotiated.
Now imagine if Edmonton crashes out for the next two years and has to watch Brian Burke and the Ducks snag Steve Stamkos and John Tavares. That doesn’t even need to be elaborated on. It will go down in NHL history as the all time botch job.
Again. Way to go Kevin.
1 comment:
If every time a team signs a player to an offer sheet they lose the opportunity to build a dynasty, I don't see it changing the way the NHL works for much longer.
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