Left Wing Entering Fourth Season of Professional Hockey

	Winger Jaroslav Svoboda missed the final 25 games of the 2002-03 season with a separated shoulder. > Svoboda Bio

RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 11, 2003) – Jason Karmanos, Vice President and Assistant General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced today that the team has agreed to terms with left wing Jaroslav Svoboda to a one-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

In 48 games during the Hurricanes’ 2002-03 campaign, Svoboda (6’ 2”, 190 lbs.) had three goals and 11 assists (14 points) and accumulated 32 penalty minutes. Svoboda, 23, missed the final 25 games of 2002-03 after suffering a dislocated shoulder at Dallas on Feb. 11.

“Jaroslav plays an important role on our team and we are happy to have him signed,” said Karmanos. “Now healthy and relatively experienced in the league, we expect him to contribute even more to our team this season.”

Carolina selected Svoboda in the eighth round, 208th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Following two seasons with Kootenay of the Western Hockey League, Svoboda signed a three-year contract with the Hurricanes on May 19, 2000. In 58 regular-season NHL games, he has notched five goals and earned 13 assists (18 points). In 2002, he added a goal and four assists (5 points) while playing in each of Carolina’s 23 playoff games. Svoboda has also totaled 16 goals, 26 assists (42 points) and 83 penalty minutes in 127 games with the Hurricanes’ top minor-league affiliates.

The Hurricanes open their seventh season in North Carolina on Oct. 9 at Florida, before returning to the RBC Center for their home opener, Saturday, Oct. 11 against defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey. Ticket packages for the 2003-04 season are available by calling 1-888-NHL-TIX1.