How are you enjoying the Daryl Katz-Kevin Lowe Oilers era so far, sports fans?

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Former Edmonton Oilers, from left, Jarret Stoll, Joni Pitkanen and Raffi Torres celebrate a goal against the Anaheim Ducks last December.

Photograph by : Reuters, File

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Two days after pre-empting the NHL's free-agent madness by trading for skilled defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky, and on the eve of new owner Katz's puck-drop news conference this morning at centre ice at Rexall Place, GM Lowe swung two more deals Tuesday, bringing power forward Erik Cole and slick young centreman Gilbert Brule to Edmonton.

Lowe shipped swift-skating, 24-year-old defenceman Joni Pitkanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Cole, shortly after dispatching talented, physical, frustratingly streaky winger Raffi Torres to Columbus for the 21-year-old Brule, the Blue Jackets' first pick (sixth overall) in the 2005 entry draft.

Far from being finished on a blazing, bright blue Canada Day, Lowe went fishing for perhaps the most attractive free agent of them all, Slovak winger Marian Hossa, most recently with the Stanley Cup finalist Pittsburgh Penguins. He was also after perhaps another enticing fish or two, although Lowe was characteristically mum on details.

"We still have our lines in the water," Lowe told a late-afternoon news conference. "In honour of (ex-Oiler and Cup-winning Red Wings winger) Danny Cleary Day in Newfoundland, we're doing a little jigging and we'll see what happens in the upcoming days."

What has already happened since drugstore billionaire Katz officially closed his purchase of the Oilers may not be unprecedented, but it sure provides a resonant fanfare for Katz to take centre ice today.

"In terms of Daryl, he's very excited about (today's) announcement. We've had pretty regular conversations with him.

"He's ecstatic about the deals so far, he's real excited about the new players.

"In terms of managing the hockey team, he reiterated that we make the decisions and he's going to be completely supportive of what we do. We felt if we got out of free agency with what we've already achieved, we'd be more than happy."

Lowe, who now must wait a day or possibly two, while Hossa and his handlers sift through possible offers from teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens, did his best to camouflage his excitement over the Oilers being a major player in that home-run derby.

Rumours have Hossa's price tag in the neighbourhood of double-digit millions -- between $9 million and $10 million -- but Lowe wouldn't get into specifics. Hossa may well be waiting to see what 37-year-old centre Mats Sundin signs for, in light of a two-year, $20-million offer from the Vancouver Canucks.

Asked how it felt to be able to compete on an even footing with other so-called large-market teams for even the gaudiest of free-agent baubles, Lowe said: "I think we were trending there already (being financially competitive under the EIG), but no question this is the first year that we've felt empowered.

"Time will tell. Let's put it this way -- I think there seems to be a trend with the Canadian teams and that has to do with the economy. And the dollar has made a big difference, as well.