From the Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta -- The Edmonton Oilers signed defenseman Joni Pitkanen to a one-year, $2.4 million contract on Friday.

The 23-year-old was acquired from Philadelphia earlier this summer in a trade that sent Jason Smith and Joffrey Lupul to the Flyers.

"We are very pleased to announce this signing, as Joni is a player who will strengthen our hockey club in many different ways," Oilers GM Kevin Lowe said. "He's proven himself as one of the league's top defensemen and we'll look for him to continue his solid play this season."

Pitkanen, who earned $2 million last season, had been scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing. He had four goals and 39 assists in 77 games last season.

In 206 career games, Pitkanen has 25 goals and 91 assists and 210 penalty minutes.

Hmmm....Does this mean we can expect Pitkanen to be traded this year over a contract extension, desperately wooed back in the off season (and refusing), and then for Kevin Lowe to make a 50 mil/5 year offer to Sergei Federov?