RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Director of Hockey Operations of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti (san-GIH-neh-tee) on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $600,000 at the NHL level, and $62,500 at the minor-league level for the 2011-12 season.

“Bobby played well in Charlotte last year despite missing more than half of the season with a difficult injury,” said Francis. “He worked hard to come back and to be able to contribute to the team late in the season. We look forward to his continued progress in his career.”

Sanguinetti, 23, played in 31 regular-season games with the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate Charlotte Checkers in 2010-11, scoring three goals and adding 12 assists (15 points). The Trenton, NJ, native missed 47 consecutive games from mid-November through mid-March after suffering a hip injury in the Checkers’ Nov. 19 game against Adirondack. Despite missing more than half of the regular season, Sanguinetti (6’3”, 190 lbs.) finished fourth among Checkers’ defensemen in scoring with 15 points, with six of those points coming on the power play. He scored one goal, earned five assists (6 points) and compiled a plus-3 plus/minus rating in 12 regular-season games after returning from injury, and contributed two assists in 10 playoff games.

Originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Sanguinetti was acquired by Carolina via trade with the Rangers on June 25, 2010. He has scored 18 goals and earned 81 assists (99 points) in 181 career AHL regular-season games with Hartford and Charlotte. Sanguinetti made his NHL debut with the Rangers on Nov. 27, 2009, and has played in five career NHL regular-season games, all with New York.