By Michael Rushton
Phanatic Magazine
The Philadelphia Flyers wrote the final chapter of Joni Pitkanen's disappointing Flyers career on Sunday when the shipped the underachieving defensman, along with left wing Geoff Sanderson and a third-round pick in the 2009 draft, to the Edmonton Oilers for forward Joffrey Lupul and defenseman Jason Smith.
The Flyers thought they were getting a future All-Star defender when they traded with Tampa Bay for the fourth overall pick in 2002 to grab Pitkanen. However, the Finnish defender has been slow to develop and suffered through a tough 2006-07 campaign. Last year, he posted just four goals and 39 assists, but was a minus-25.
In three seasons with the Flyers, Pitkanen recorded 25 goals and 91 assists.
Sanderson, 35, had 11 goals and 18 assists in 58 games in his only season with the Flyers last year.
The 23-year-old Lupul was part of a package from Anaheim in a deal that sent Chris Pronger to the club in July of 2006. He had 16 goals and 12 assists in 81 games for the Oilers last year.
Smith will be the newest face to the Flyers revamped defense, and at 33 years old, brings experience to a group that included a number of young players last season. Smith had two goals and nine assists in 82 games for the Oilers last year, and led the team with 228 blocked shots, which was second in the NHL. He also served as the Oilers captain last season.
In parts of 13 seasons, Smith has posted 39 goals and 119 assists for 158 points in 868 games. He was selected by New Jersey in the first round of the 1992 draft, 18th overall.
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