PENGUINS BOLSTER BLUE LINE; SIGN ARDELAN, ENGELLAND

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defensemen Mark Ardelan and Deryk Engelland, it was announced today by Assistant General Manager Check Fletcher.

Ardelan, 24, played 79 games during the 2006-07 season with the Iowa Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL).  He ranked fourth on the club in scoring with 38 points (8 goals, 30 assists) while leading the team in assists.  His point total ranked 14th among all AHL defensemen. 

The 5-11, 200-pound native of Regina, Saskatchewan, spent the previous season with the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs and recorded 30 points (9 goals, 21 assists) in 62 games played.

Engelland, 25, spent the 2006-07 season with the Hershey Bears of the AHL scoring 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 44 games played.  He also collected 95 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating.  In addition, he played 14 playoff games registering 14 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating as Hersheyadvanced to the AHL Calder Cup Finals.

The 6-2, 197-pound native of Chetwynd, British Columbia, also spent part of the 2005-06 season with Hershey recording four assists in 37 games played.  He registered 77 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating.  Engelland played one playoff game as Hershey captured the AHL Calder Cup Championship.

Engelland was originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the sixth round (194th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.