July 2, 2008 | 11:15am ET
Hurricanes sign Pitkanen, Melichar TheFourthPeriod.com
The Carolina Hurricanes didn't take long to sign defenseman Joni Pitkanen to a new contract, inking him to a three-year, $12 million contract.
The club has also signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Josef Melichar to a one-year, $1 million contract.
Pitkanen was acquired yesterday from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for left wing Erik Cole.
Pitkanen, 24, scored eight goals and earned 18 assists in 63 games in 2007-08.
Melichar, who spent the 2006-07 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, spent the majority of the 2007-08 campaign with Linkoping HC of the Swedish Elite League. He registered eight assists and 74 penalty minutes in 50 games.
In 310 career NHL games, Melichar has accumulated seven goals, 33 assists and 263 penalty minutes.
Pitkanen has played in 269 career NHL regular-season games with Philadelphia and Edmonton, scoring 33 goals and earning 109 assists. The Flyers selected him in the first round, fourth overall, of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
