If Todd Bertuzzi signed in Anaheim thinking a low pressure, quiet, hockey outpost would be a comfortable situation to get his career back on track, he may be sadly mistaken.
Thursday morning, the Ducks chose not to match Edmonton's five-year, $21.5 million offer sheet for Dustin Penner, the man many consider to be the next Bertuzzi.
Even Ducks general manager Brian Burke, in between comments that his (former?) friend Kevin Lowe was "stupid" -- apparently "gutless" and "classless" were not enough -- admitted Bertuzzi's signing put the Ducks in a tough position when it comes to resigning Penner.
Bertuzzi signed for $8 million over two years -- just $125,000 less per season than Penner's offer sheet.
Last season, Bertuzzi played 15 games, scoring two goals and adding 8 assists for 11 points.
Penner played all 82 games, scoring 29 goals and adding 16 assists for 45 points.
Yet all along, it was clear Burke would sign Bertuzzi. After the 2005-06 season, Burke hinted to season ticket holders at the select-a-seat he would go after Bertuzzi when he was an unrestricted free agent. Although he said he could not say much because of tampering, his intentions were clear.
Bertuzzi had five solid seasons for Burke in Vancouver, including a career high 97 points in 2002-03, but his career has been derailed by injuries since the lockout. Most troubling, the biggest problem has been his back, an injury that often fails to heal completely.
For $1 million plus incentives, Bertuzzi would be a good signing. For $4 million per season -- nearly as much as Teemu Selanne made the past two seasons combined while scoring 98 goals -- the contract made no sense at the time.
And now, the man who seemed ready to take Bertuzzi's torch as one of the game's better finesse power forwards -- if there is such a thing -- was essentially let go because of Bertuzzi's signing.
Oh sure, many will say there is no correlation. But look at the numbers -- Bertuzzi is locked up for two years. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are restricted free agents after next season, and after watching their linemate get a huge payday, do not count on either of them signing before July 1.
If Burke matched the Penner offer sheet, he could be put in the position of losing one, or both, of the other two young stars if an offer sheet came their way next summer. After all, Bertuzzi's money -- as well as the money of 38-year-old defenseman Mathieu Schneider (two years, $11.25 million) -- will still be on the books at the time.
Most of Anaheim's contracts last beyond the end of this coming season, so Burke had little option but to let Penner walk.
After the Bertuzzi signing, that is.
Nobody wishes ill will on Bertuzzi, and most Ducks fans are hoping he finds his form of the early part of the decade. Yet by the same token, Burke has lost several of the blue chip prospects he inherited when he took the reins two years ago.
Joffrey Lupul -- gone in the Chris Pronger trade. This one made sense, as the chance to get Pronger was irresistible.
Shane O'Brien -- traded for a mid-to-late first round draft pick.
Penner -- lost to an offer sheet.
Many are saying Penner will be under intense pressure in Edmonton, and they point to Lupul as an example. After a 28 goal campaign in Anaheim, Lupul scored just 16 goals and tallied 28 points with the Oilers last season.
Lupul was sent to Philadelphia for Joni Pitkanen, and many feel Penner could follow suit by failing to live up to expectations. However, there is no relevant comparison.
Lupul is an Edmonton boy, and his grandfather is even a minority owner of the Oilers. The pressure of playing in your hometown can be overwhelming anywhere, but in Edmonton, the pressure is ratcheted up a few notches.
Edmonton is a hockey town with incredible tradition. Players will be recognized everywhere they go, and playing there is like playing in a fish bowl. To be honest, it is an incredible environment and is one of the best places to play in the NHL.
Sure, the weather gets a little chilly and there is a lot of travel involved, but it is an intense hockey environment.
But for Lupul, the environment may have been a little too intense. In addition to being a highly touted local, Lupul was viewed as the key cog the Oilers received for Pronger. A pressure packed situation for anyone, never mind a 23-year-old hometown boy.
Penner hails from Winkler, Manitoba, a prairie town best known for cold weather and a strong Mennonite community. He is used to the weather and the culture of the area, but he does not have the hometown pressure -- not to mention, he is completely separate from the Pronger deal.
It is hard not to be happy for Penner. A young player who could not even make his local junior team, he went to a small junior college in Bottineau, North Dakota, and then played a year at the University of Maine before being signed to an entry level contract by Anaheim.
Now, he is incredibly wealthy, a young emerging superstar, and is on top of the world.
North America loves success stories and self-made people. Penner fits the bill as well as anyone.
Regardless of what Burke says about Lowe's recent performance, the fact is, the Oilers always find a way to be competitive. Two bad months at the end of last season seem to have made people forget about the Western Conference Championship the previous year.
Not to mention years of impressive playoff berths while the Oilers struggled financially, in large part because of the then-weak Canadian dollar.
The Oilers are no longer a small-market team. Their revenues were reported to be seventh of the league's 30 teams last season, and the loonie is nearing par with the American greenback.
Everyone has seemingly written off the Oilers for next year, but never count out an Edmonton squad. It is a hockey town, and hockey towns produce consistently strong hockey teams.
It was not desperation on Edmonton's part that landed Penner in Oil Country. Rather, it is a commitment to win, and a commitment to win now.
And suddenly, those Anaheim-Edmonton tilts appear nearly as compelling as they appeared last year at this time.
Getzlaf and Perry are definitely going to want bigger bucks next season, but you're forgetting one key situation: Niedermayer. Burke brought in Matthieu Schneider for a reason. Niedermayer may well hang up the skates. If he does, that's $6.5m more for the Ducks to spend; more than enough to give Selanne his due.
Were Selanne to return, you'd obviously see him playing on the first line with McDonald and Kunitz. That conveniently adds Bertuzzi to the second line, which Penner just vacated. And were Selanne to retire, Bertuzzi is still a capable first line wing. There're a few up-and-comers in the Ducks' system. I definitely don't see them as a club who'll be bad off next season.
No, particularly if Niedermayer returns for another campaign, they'll likely have the absolute strongest top-4 defensive squad in the league, and their 5 and 6 guys will play about 4 minutes a game.
And the final gain we're looking at: the future. Three additional picks in the coming draft, which looks to be fairly deeper than this past season. Edmonton hasn't drafted well during Lowe's reign, so it's not a great loss to them, particularly if they gain help today.
In all, I think everyone involved benefitted; most of all Penner. We'll see how Getzlaf and Perry benefit from this next year. Good show, and great read!
Thanks for the comments! There is no question a lot hinges on Niedermayer. At his salary, he's a bargain -- at any salary, he's a bargain. There's no question the Ducks are better off with him, but we'll see what happens... I'm hearing retirement is likely.
I would have liked to see the Ducks hang onto O'Brien, as I think he's poised to become a star. I think he could have filled much of the role Schnieder will -- but don't get me wrong, Schneider is still a very good defenseman at this point in his career.
The three picks could be huge, as next year is a very good draft.
The pressure on Bertuzzi does seem high, at this point in time. The Ducks are scratching at the cap ceiling. Todd has to produce... or else. Or does he?
Burke and Bertuzzi go back to their days in Vancouver. Brian likes productivity and loyalty. Burke also covers his hindside pretty well. He's one of the best GMs in hockey. Henry Samueli was wise to hire Brian to run the ship. Samueli is not the Al Davis of the NHL. He lets his GM make the important decisions when it comes to building and maintaining a hockey club.
The uncertainty of Scott and Teemu have not caused Burke to waver. In fact, the uncertainty has allowed Burke to build a stronger defensive core. The longer it takes Neidermayer to make a decision about retirement, the more likely it is that Scott will return. I'm sure Burke and Neidermayer had a gentleman's agreement in place before all of the hype began. Teemu, on the other hand, is more of a mystery. He may very well retire because of his age. Selanne can likely play anywhere in the NHL or the world if he desires.
Burke seems to be a well-respected man in the NHL. I think many players would welcome the opportunity to play under him. They see Burke as a winner. Who wouldn't want to win? Bertuzzi wants to win. If he can't get the job done, there are hoards of talented players who would love to take his place. Anaheim has a deep pool of talent in their minor league system and a roster full of desirable players on the NHL level to offer in trade for immediate help during the season.
Don't forget about Bryzgalov. Burke has made it abundantly clear that
As a life-long hockey fan and sports fan in general, sports has always been a big part of my life. I have combined that with my interest in writing to create a long-term interest in sportswriting , something that has manifested itself in various sportswriting opportunities over the years.
