Hurricanes bring back defenseman Tanabe for one season

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes signed David Tanabe to a one-year contract worth $900,000 on Tuesday, bringing back a defenseman they drafted seven years ago.

"His skating and style of play fit well with our team's up-tempo system and the way the NHL game is played today," said Jim Rutherford, president and general manager of the defending Stanley Cup champions.

The 26-year-old Tanabe finished last season with the Boston Bruins after he was traded by the Phoenix Coyotes for center Dave Scatchard. He combined for four goals and 16 assists and had 56 penalty minutes.

Earlier this month an arbitrator awarded Tanabe a $1.275 million, one-year contract, but the Bruins declined it and made him an unrestricted free agent.

The Hurricanes selected Tanabe with the 16th pick in the 1999 draft, and he made his NHL debut in 1999-2000. Carolina traded him to the Coyotes in 2003 for defenseman Danny Markov.