RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Patrick Dwyer on a two-year contract. The deal will pay Dwyer $600,000 in 2011-12, and $650,000 in 2012-13.

“Patrick has become a durable and reliable NHL forward,” said Rutherford. “He is a very strong penalty killer, and he brings a lot of speed and energy to our group of forwards.”

Dwyer, 28, completed his sixth professional season in 2010-11, and posted NHL career highs in games played (80), goals (8), assists (10) and points (18). The Spokane, WA, native averaged 12:34 of ice time per game, and finished second among team forwards with 63 blocked shots, and fifth among Hurricanes skaters with 166 hits. Dwyer (5’11”, 175 lbs.) has scored 16 goals, earned 15 assists (31 points) and accumulated 18 penalty minutes in 151 career regular-season games with Carolina since making his NHL debut on Nov. 2, 2008. Originally drafted by Atlanta in 2002, he has been with the Hurricanes organization since signing as a free agent on July 7, 2006.