RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes locked up another of their free agents Thursday, re-signing forward Chad LaRose to a two-year deal.
LaRose, 27, will make $1.5 million this upcoming season and $1.9 million in 2010-11. He made $875,000 last season -- by far his best in the NHL.
"Chad has grown into a key player for our franchise," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "He had his best year last season and is an important penalty killer and popular player in our locker room and with our fans."
LaRose, a one-time undrafted free agent, had career highs of 81 games played, 19 goals and 31 points while helping the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference finals.
He briefly tested the free agent market but ultimately became the third high-profile forward to re-sign with Carolina this week, following Erik Cole and Jussi Jokinen, who also agreed to two-year deals to stay in Raleigh. Full story
Grabovski elects to stay with Leafs
TORONTO -- Mikhail Grabovski has signed an $8.7 million, three-year deal with the Maple Leafs.
The Belorussian forward had 20 goals and 48 points in 78 games last season, both ranked fourth on the Maple Leafs.
In 105 career NHL games with Montreal and Toronto, he has 23 goals and 57 points.
Pikkarainen rejoins Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- Finnish forward Ilkka Pikkarainen rejoined the New Jersey Devils.
Devils president Lou Lamoriello announced the deal, but contract details were not disclosed.
The 28-year-old Pikkarainen was the Devils' seventh-round pick in the 2002 NHL Draft and spent three seasons with their top farm team in Albany, N.Y.
He returned to Finland and played the last three seasons with HIFK Helsinki, leading the team this year with 24 goals in 54 games.
Flames sign Murray, minor leaguer
CALGARY, Alberta -- The Calgary Flames have signed center Garth Murray and minor-league forward Riley Armstrong.
Murray has eight goals and two assists in 116 career NHL games with Phoenix, Florida, Montreal and the New York Rangers. He had 11 goals and 10 assists in 64 games for the San Antonio Rampage last season and played 10 games with the parent club in Phoenix.
Armstrong spent the last five seasons playing in the San Jose Sharks minor-league system and has appeared in two NHL games. He had 25 goals, 17 assists and 101 penalty minutes in 71 games for Worcester last season.
Isles sign undrafted goalie, two others
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The New York Islanders have signed goaltender Scott Munroe, left wing Jeremy Reich and defenseman Brett Westgarth to one-year contracts.
Munroe, an undrafted goalie, has been in the Philadelphia Flyers' organization for the past four seasons. He led the Phantoms to the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and had a save percentage of .926 with four shutouts last year.
Reich has played in a total of 99 NHL games, scoring two goals and four assists with the Boston Bruins' organization. Last season for Providence, he had a career-high 21 goals and 13 assists.
Westgarth played last year for the Worcester Sharks, an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.
Coyotes get Meyer for one year
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Phoenix Coyotes have signed left wing Stefan Meyer to a one-year contract.
The 23-year-old Meyer was acquired on June 19 from the Florida Panthers for the rights to center Steven Reinprecht.
Meyer had 18 goals and 22 assists in 65 games last season with Rochester of the AHL. He played in four games for the Panthers during the 2007-08 season.
