[wingmaker]

Players are not chess pieces, no matter how much fans want them to be. Part of the net result of Burke not selling low on Cammalleri is that he got hot down the stretch and helped Calgary finish the year strong and go into the summer feeling a sense of hope for the future. You can argue that there is no value in this if you want, but Burke showed his players that he valued them and would not give them away for nothing and they played hard for the rest of the year. Cammy leaves, but the rest of the team comes into camp feeling good about what happened last year. Of course there is no knowing what would have happened if Cammy had been traded, and there is no way of knowing if what happpened last year had any affect on this year. But often when you work from a position of principles and respect, there is a positive outcome, even on a micro level. To me, that is far more valuable than a third round pick.