Given his history, it might seem like Brian Burke isn't a fan of offer sheets. However, he says that's not the case. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations said Tuesday he sought to file an offer sheet for then-Boston Bruins forward Phil Kessel when he was the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager.

"I was prepared to offer sheet Phil Kessel when I (traded for) him in Toronto, and I told the Boston Bruins that," Burke told Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "They were trying to make a deal with the (Los Angeles) Kings and trying to talk to (the) Nashville (Predators), and I said, 'Either you guys make a deal with me or I'm going to offer sheet him.' So they made a deal with me."

In September 2009, the Bruins traded Kessel to the Maple Leafs for a 2010 first-round pick (which Boston used to select Tyler Seguin), a 2011 first-rounder (with which they took Dougie Hamilton), and a 2010 second-round selection.