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Has Tampa Bay gone insane? The latest rumours surrounding Ottawa defenceman Andrej Meszaros suggest that yes, in fact, they have. Spencer Callaghan has the details.

Andrej Meszaros' Offer Sheet: The Plot Thickens

by Spencer Callaghan (Analyst)

4

262 reads

Breaking News

August 29, 2008

NHL, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Andrej Meszaros, Breaking News

So, the wild world of the Andrej Meszaros offer sheet rumours has gotten even crazier.

How could that be? What could make such a situation even crazier than it already is?

Tampa Bay is involved, that's how.

It seems that Tampa may or may not have reacquired their own third round pick from Pittsburgh in order to make a ridiculously over-priced offer to Meszaros.

Yes, Tampa fans, your management team has lost their collective mind.

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After trading away Dan Boyle, a proven veteran defenceman making $6.67 million, the geniuses in Tampa now want to blow slightly over $5 million on an unproven young defenceman who has an over-inflated view of his worth.

Oh, and they still have about 27 NHL forwards under contract (give or take a dozen).

The rumoured deal comes as it was revealed this morning that Tampa has demanded that Ottawa trade the young defenceman to them or risk an offer sheet.

The problem is that Tampa does not have the requisite first, second, and third round picks next season to offer in compensation, hence the deal with Pittsburgh to re-acquire their own third round pick.

Confused yet?

Of course this could all turn out to be nothing, but the insanity of it reeks of something that Tampa and their new Hollywood owners would try to do.

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comments (4) write a comment »

  1. What is the problem with this? They did not break any rules, they are just trying to make the team better. I hate offer sheets, but people need to stop complaining about them, they were part of the CBA, and the majority of the GMs agreed to it.

  2. It's not necesarily a problem because Tampa Bay can't go through with the offer sheet without making a deal to Pittsburgh to get the third-rounder back. Unless this happens Meszaros hasn't signed an offer sheet—the principal of the offer sheet has been agreed to if anything.

    If I'm Bryan Murray (which clearly I'm not) I would call up Ray Shero in Pittsburgh and make a deal that would send Tampa's third round pick to Ottawa so the Bolts can't be in a position to "demand" s***.

    By the way, totally off the Meszaros topic, but for people who think Tampa Bay has improved this off-season—give me a break. They've just made a bunch of stupid moves that will see them lose games 9-7 all year long.

  3. Maybe Sundin is waiting to see where Meszaros is going!

  4. It has to be Meszaros, who else is left to wait on? Selanne already said he was waiting on Sundin!

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About the Author Spencer Callaghan (analyst)

  • 30 articles written
  • 269 comments posted
  • 8 fans

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