RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Defenseman Aaron Ward, an instrumental part of the Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes, was re-signed Thursday to a four-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Ward was eligible for arbitration and made $819,500 last season, his seventh in the NHL and first with Carolina.

"We're very happy to sign Aaron to a long-term contract," Hurricane general manager Jim Rutherford said. "He provided stability to the right side of our defense last season. His signing strengthens what we feel is a solid defensive corps."

Ward, 29, was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings for a second-round draft pick in July 2001. He responded with the best season of his career, establishing personal bests with 79 games, 11 assists, 14 points and 74 penalty minutes. He scored three goals.

The 6-2, 225-pound blue-liner added a goal and an assist in 22 playoff games, helping the Hurricanes make a surprising run to their first Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to Detroit in five games.

A member of two Stanley Cup championship teams with Detroit, Ward has 19 goals, 38 assists and 312 penalty minutes in 355 career games.