CALGARY, Alberta, May 22 (UPI) -- Edmonton Oilers General Manager Kevin Lowe agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension Thursday and said his first task will be working on a similar deal with Coach Craig MacTavish.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the pact will keep Lowe in his post through the 2007-08 season.
"We all feel there is something very special about the relationship Kevin has with the Oilers," team president Patrick LaForge said.
"From being the first-ever draft pick to scoring the first-ever Oilers goal to playing more games than any other Oiler to being named assistant coach, then head coach and finally general manager, you get the sense he is going to lead us back to the Stanley Cup."
Since Lowe took over in June 2000, the Oilers have reached the playoffs twice in three years. Tight budget constraints forced Lowe to trade away stars like Bill Guerin, Doug Weight, Tom Poti and Anson Carter, but he was able to lock up goaltender Tommy Salo and Ryan Smyth to long-term contracts.
Now he turns his attention to MacTavish, whose contract expired after the season.
"As I mentioned earlier this spring, I think it is vital that we have 'Mac-T' behind the bench," Lowe said. "To that end, we have had several very positive discussions and it is my hope that we can reach a successful conclusion in the near future."
