I really don't have time for a well-thought-out post here (stupid day job!) just yet--when I get some time later I'll add more to this post, but apparently the Nylanderless, Vanekless Oilers GM Kevin Lowe has offered RFA Dustin Penner a 5 year, $21.25M offer sheet. The Ducks will have the opportunity to match this, or let him go to Edmonton in exchange for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick in 2008 (not to mention some salary cap cushion).At first blush, I am tempted to agree with MetroGnome here:
"Were I Brian Burke, I'd take the draft picks and run. Penner is a nice player, but I'm not sure he's worth the money the Oilers are offering. not to mention those are going to be some decently placed picks in a strong draft year."Penner of course was an awesome value last year, potting 29 regular season goals and 3 playoff goals all for the meager league-minimum price of $450,000. That said, he wasn't necessarily the strongest performer: over the course of the regular season and playoffs, he was on the ice for 48 even-strength goals-for and 44 even-strength goals-against. Compare that to Sleek-mancrush Sammy Pahlsson, who was playing immensely-more-difficult minutes, and was on the ice for 52 even-strength goals-for and 47 even-strength goals-against.
I dunno--this kind of reminds me of Joffrey Lupul: Brian Burke gets easy-minute production from an underpaid player, then allows Kevin Lowe to turn an underpaid Duck into an overpaid Oiler?
More to come later, but your reactions are certainly welcome in the comments. Also check out Mike Chen's take on his blog, the ever-ready James Mirtle, and always save time for Oiler blogs: Lowetide, Covered in Oil, Irreverent Oiler Fans, BDHS, and mc79hockey have posted reactions, and more will be coming I'm sure.