Dick Tarnstrom, who was awarded a one-year, $1.6 million contract by an arbitrator yesterday, knows it's possible the Penguins will walk away from that award, making him an unrestricted free agent.

He also understands that they might aggressively try to trade him if they decide he won't provide a good return on that seven-figure investment.

Nonetheless, Tarnstrom is adamant that he wants to remain with the Penguins. So firm, in fact, that it almost appears he's trying to will that to happen.

"He's already bought a car and is getting Pennsylvania license plates," said Mark Stowe, his agent. "I think that shows his intent."

Tarnstrom's feelings aren't the issue, though. What matters most is the opinion of Penguins general manager Craig Patrick, and he doesn't seem inclined to share it. Patrick, through a team spokesman, declined to discuss the arbitration award or his plans for Tarnstrom.

The Penguins have 48 hours after the arbitration award came down to walk away from it; if they do, they are not entitled to compensation if Tarnstrom signs elsewhere. They also have the option of trading him, and it's likely Patrick has spent the weekend investigating possible deals.

Tarnstrom, at least for the moment, has the fifth-highest salary among Penguins players for the coming season. He ranks behind Sergei Gonchar and Zigmund Palffy ($3.5 million each), Mark Recchi ($2,228,000) and John LeClair ($2.1 million). Mario Lemieux and rookie Sidney Crosby -- who figures to get $850,000 in salary and a similar amount in bonus money -- also could nudge ahead of Tarnstrom.

Stowe characterized the salary award as "a fair result," and added that it was "well above what they offered, and not what we wanted." The precise figures the parties submitted to the arbitrator Friday have not been divulged.

Stowe said he has "no idea" what course of action the Penguins will take with his client. That isn't surprising, considering that Patrick isn't in the habit of sharing his personnel plans with people from outside the organization.

Although Tarnstrom, who had a team-high 52 points in 2003-04, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Stowe reiterated that he would like to work out a multi-year deal with the Penguins.

"He still wants to play in Pittsburgh, even beyond this year," Stowe said. "It makes a lot of sense to tie a guy like that up for a few years."

There has been nothing to suggest the Penguins share that sentiment, though. Their thinking seems to be that with Gonchar and Ric Jackman -- and perhaps Ryan Whitney -- in their lineup, an offensive defenseman such as Tarnstrom becomes redundant. Or, at the very least, a rather pricey luxury.

The Penguins, as arbitration protocol demands, downplayed Tarnstrom's value to them during his hearing Friday.

His flaws were dissected and magnified during that session and, even though Tarnstrom contended that he didn't take any of it personally, he apparently is relieved that the process has played out.

"Dick's happy it's over," Stowe said.

Now he must wait to find out if his career with the Penguins is, too.