[News] Oilers at it again, Ducks GM Burke pissed

Ducks GM Burke calls Edmonton offer to Penner 'gutless'

July 27, 2007
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports


LOS ANGELES -- Irate Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke on Friday
called Edmonton's offer sheet to forward Dustin Penner "gutless."

Burke had especially harsh words for Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, saying, "Edmonton
has offered a mostly inflated salary for a player, and I think it's an act
of desperation for a general manager who is fighting to keep his job."

The Oilers signed Penner to a five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet on
Thursday. Burke said he wasn't upset that there was an offer sheet, but
rather he was irked at the amount of money involved. Penner will go from
earning a league minimum $450,000 to $4.25 million a year.

"I have no problem with offer sheets," Burke said, noting they are part of
the NHL's collective bargaining agreement.

"If you can identify a player and pay him appropriately and make him an
offer, that's fine. At some point, the deals you make, the offers you
extend, whether the team matches it or not, impacts all 30 teams, including
your own."

The way the deal went down also irritated Burke.

Just like that, Dustin Penner can go from earning $450,000 per season to a
massive $4.24 million a year. (Getty Images)

"I was not notified of this until I was contacted by Dustin Penner's agent,"
he said on a conference call from British Columbia. "I would have done this
differently, but then again I wouldn't have done this. I think some guys
would have done it that way, yes."

The Stanley Cup champion Ducks have until Thursday to either match the offer
or accept a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a third-round pick
from Edmonton as compensation.

Burke would not say which way he was leaning. He plans to return to Anaheim
on Sunday and meet with the team's owners.

He said talks with Penner, a restricted free agent, had not gone far. Asked
if Anaheim's offer was anywhere close to Edmonton's offer sheet, Burke said,
"The answer is a clear and unequivocal and instantaneous no."

It's the second time in three weeks that the Oilers have gone after a
restricted free agent, trying but failing to get forward Thomas Vanek of the
Buffalo Sabres on July 6. The Sabres matched Edmonton's $50 million,
seven-year offer.

"Draw your own conclusions," Burke said.

The Ducks don't have much room under the salary cap. They are around $5
million below the $50.3 million maximum, although a team is allowed to be
over the salary cap by 10 percent until Oct. 1.

The Ducks are still waiting on defenseman Scott Niedermayer and winger Teemu
Selanne to decide whether they will retire or play next season.

Burke said he hadn't talked to either player recently.

"We've told them to take their time and when they've made a decision to let
us know," he said.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2006-2007, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

In news:97qdnda1NqAK3TbbnZ2dnUVZ_smnnZ2d@comcast.com,
§¦«The Wraith»¦§ <Nightmare982 RemoveThis @netz3r0.com> typed:
> Ducks GM Burke calls Edmonton offer to Penner 'gutless'
>
> July 27, 2007
> CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
>
>
> LOS ANGELES -- Irate Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke on
> Friday called Edmonton's offer sheet to forward Dustin Penner
> "gutless."
> Burke had especially harsh words for Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, saying,
> "Edmonton has offered a mostly inflated salary for a player, and I
> think it's an act of desperation for a general manager who is
> fighting to keep his job."
> The Oilers signed Penner to a five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet on
> Thursday.

The Ducks decided not to match it, sending Penner to the Oilers.