I officially take myself off of hiatus. What in the name of all things good is everyone upset about at Bobby Clarke? This is part of the NHL, and the NHL Official Rule book. I for one just see this as another rant and rave by the “small guy” in the NHL complaining about the big clubs. Well, GUESS WHAT? There’s a salary cap now and a CBA that says Clarke can do exactly what he just did. So sit down, shut up, and move on. We can’t spend any more money than you can, and you’re getting free money from us, because our fans are better than yours.
Okay, now let’s look at it constructively –

Clarke went out and made a decision, a decision that was never going to actually come through. The Canucks are obviously going to match the offer and re-sign their boy. To quote Clarkey, “I’m trying to make my team better,” Clarke said. “There’s a rule that says we can put out offer sheets. So I did it. You know, it’s funny, they made new rules so we’re operating in a system where we all get to spend the same amount of money. Philadelphia and Detroit can’t spend any more than Nashville or Anaheim. Those are the rules. We all live by them. No one can accuse Philadelphia or Detroit of spending more money than everyone else now. But when I go and use a rule that is there, everybody is all over me about it.”
Here are some more interesting quotes:

“To me, our thinking is completely backward,” Clarke said. “I lost Kim Johnsson to (unrestricted) free agency because the Minnesota Wild gave him $4.8 million. Well, the Flyers had to give (revenue sharing) money to Minnesota and other teams and I don’t like that but it’s the rules. And then Minnesota takes that money and signs my player and there are no rules to say I can keep him if I match. I wish I had all the options with Kim Johnsson that Vancouver has with Kesler. They can match and keep him or they can let him go. It’s up to them.”

“A lot of guys in this league like the rules when it suits them and they don’t like them when it doesn’t. Too bad for them. I’m just playing by the rules that are there. To be honest, I’m surprised more teams aren’t doing it.”