Flyers give RW Lupul four-year extension

Jul 21, 2008 - 8:52 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Flyers announced Monday that they have signed right wing Joffrey Lupul to a four-year contract extension.

Drafted seventh overall by Anaheim in 2002, Lupul was part of the package the Ducks sent to the Edmonton Oilers for former Norris Trophy winner Chris Pronger in July 2006. After a disappointing campaign with the Oilers, the 24-year-old right wing was shipped in July 2007 to Philadelphia, where he recorded 20 goals - including the first two regular-season hat tricks of his career - and 26 assists in 56 games.

"With the way that the salary cap is structured, we felt it was an opportunity to lock up another one of our young players and move forward," Flyers manager Paul Holmgren said. "He is one of our young, core players that we are really high on and we look for good things to come from Joffrey."

A native of Alberta, Lupul made his NHL debut in 2003-04, registering 13 goals and 34 points in 75 games with Anaheim. In 293 career contests with the Ducks, Oilers and Flyers, the 6-1, 205-pounder has collected 77 tallies and 84 assists.

"I am really happy and excited," Lupul said. "It is not something that I was really expecting this summer. The Flyers kind of reached out to us after July 1. It was a great surprise and I am really thrilled. I have one year left on my contract and then these additional four more, so five more years with Philadelphia is great."