Brian Burke just became my favorite G.M. in all of sports

[realmofotalk]

Oilers officially sign LW Penner to five-year contract

August 2, 2007
EDMONTON, ALBERTA (TICKER) -- Dustin Penner helped lead the Anaheim Ducks to their first Stanley Cup championship in June. He now hopes to do the same for the Edmonton Oilers.

The Ducks on Thursday declined to match the five-year, $21.25 million offer sheet presented to Penner by Edmonton, making the 24-year-old an official member of the Oilers.

"It's been a great day for me and my family," Penner said. "I'm excited to become an Oiler, to be part of their tradition. Hopefully, I can be part of their future for a long time to come."

Penner was a key member of the Ducks this past season, collecting 29 goals and 16 assists in 82 games. He also was an integral part in Anaheim's run to the Stanley Cup, registering three tallies - including two game-winners - and eight points in 21 postseason contests.

Penner's shining moment in the playoffs came in Game Four of the Finals, when he snapped a tie just over four minutes into the third period, giving the Ducks a 3-2 victory and a three-games-to-one lead in the series.

However, the reigning champs apparently could not afford to re-sign Penner, who inked the offer sheet with the Oilers as a Group II restricted free agent on July 26.

"This just simply does not make sense to me from a financial standpoint," said Anaheim general manager Brian Burke, who immediately believed the price was too high. "If I'm going to be critical of the amount of the offer and I match it, then I'm just as stupid as the guy who made it."

Burke was referring to Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe, who certainly worked within the boundaries of the collective bargaining agreement by making the offer to Penner but broke the unwritten rule among NHL executives regarding restricted free agents.

"There's been a little bit of controversy associated with this move," Lowe said. "We see it, quite simply, as a move to add a player that has good upside, that has performed in the NHL and that will complement our group of forwards that we have already. Nothing more, nothing less."

Burke disagreed with Lowe's method, voicing his displeasure immediately after the offer was made and doing so again Thursday.

"It was gutless that (Lowe) didn't call me, and I still feel the same way," Burke said.

Now that the saga officially is over, Lowe still does not plan on contacting his counterpart in Anaheim.

"I'm not in the business of trying to make friends. Never have, never will be," Lowe said. "If it was viewed unpopularly by some managers, I must say that I've had a number of calls from managers in the league who were very supportive to me and what we're trying to do and very understanding."

Had the Ducks decided to match the offer made to Penner, they would have exceeded the $50.3 million salary cap. Instead, Anaheim receives Edmonton's first-, second- and third-round picks as compensation.

Satisfied with what he obtained from the Oilers, Burke used the topic as another way to take a shot at Lowe.

"We're going to take the three picks, and given Kevin's recent performance (as a GM), we expect them to be excellent picks," he said.

A product of the University of Maine, Penner was signed as an undrafted free agent by Anaheim in May 2004. The 24-year-old established the team's rookie scoring record by recording 45 points last season and finished fifth in scoring among all NHL rookies.

"They helped me develop as a player," Penner said of the Ducks. "Hopefully, I'm not done developing. I hope that this is just another step in the right direction. I'm grateful for the opportunity they gave me."

The 6-4, 245-pound native of Winkler, Manitoba has appeared in 101 regular-season games over parts of two campaigns with the Ducks, collecting 33 goals and 19 assists.

As angry as Burke is with Edmonton, he harbors no ill will toward Penner.

"I do want to say thank you to Dustin Penner," Burke said. "Whenever we trade a player from here or he leaves on his own, we try and treat him with some dignity and respect. He's a good player and he's a nice young man. We wish him well. We certainly don't fault a player for taking the money."

"We're going to take the three picks, and given Kevin's recent performance (as a GM), we expect them to be excellent picks,"



I don't care if anyone else calls it whining, that shot is ****ing priceless!

[Halladay_is_God]

the quotes are great still makes him a crybaby

and yet he makes stupid ones like this

"Kevin Lowe has been in Penticton this week," Burke said. "Tonight is the induction ceremony for the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame and I certainly think this could have waited until Monday. I don't think it shows a lot of respect for the B.C Hockey Hall of Fame.

"I think it's a classless move timing-wise."

Oh no NOT the B.C Hockey Hall of Fame, Lowe clearly wanted to disrespect the B.C Hockey Hall of Fame and Penner was just a bonus.

[ATLien]

bwaha