A year later, Brian Burke defends his rant.

Asked about the ripple effect of the Oilers’ offer sheets for Dustin Penner and Thomas Vanek, Brian Burke pulled no punches during a conference call Tuesday morning:

Everything I said a year ago has come true. Every single word. … Both (general) managers don’t like starting fights with other (general) managers. I stand by everything I said a year ago and everything I predicted has come true. Thanks to the Edmonton Oilers, the second contract has disappeared in the NHL. They go right from the entry system into what used to be the third contract, thanks to two offer sheets from Kevin Lowe.”

More Burke:

“When you make a commitment like that (to Perry), that’s what you’re guessing with Getzlaf as well. With Corey, he’s demonstrated a very high compete level, which is critical to us. That battle level, we place great premium on that. The fact that both players are physical, hard to play against guys, but also both have put up good numbers. We’re betting on that that package will continue. They’re big, physical guys, hard to play against.”

“From internal budgeting and acting purposes, it’s often useful to beef upfront money and work with a budget. There is some shuffling going on within this deal, same with Getzlaf, to be advantageous form a budget standpoint.”

“I think we told Corey, the only reason we have cap issues is because we’ve had success. The only teams that don’t have cap issues haven’t had success recently, or they’re on their way to cap issues. Maybe the only team hasn’t had cap issues but they’re gonna. We will happily have cap issues, I will happily give David McNab more gray hair if we’re going to have success.”

On Drew Miller:

“We sent him a qualifying offer, we’re talking to him.”

On making a trade:

“We are prepared to obtain whatever holes we have in our lineup the old-fashioned way. We don’t have to do it today.”

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.

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