Penguins sought compensation for Bylsma after Bruins acquired pick for Chiarelli

The Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup-winning partnership should have supplied a pair of parting gifts, but the current regime was asleep at the switch.

General manager Jim Rutherford said the club demanded a third-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres as compensation for hiring former coach Dan Bylsma only after seeing a division rival benefit off a former employee.

"Once Edmonton got a pick for (former Bruins GM) Peter Chiarelli – when he was a terminated employee – we decided to ask for picks for future employees," he admitted to Jason Mackey of Trib Total Media.

Alas, Rutherford is guilty of egregious oversight, letting his predecessor, Ray Shero, join the New Jersey Devils without soliciting compensation.

"The rule is not as clear as it should be," he added. "We felt that the intent of the rule was for employees that were still with the team, that were working with the team, not terminated employees."

Hoo boy.