RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Patrick Dwyer to a two-year contract extension. The deal will pay Dwyer $900,000 per season during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 campaigns.

“Patrick has been an excellent fit for our organization, and plays an important role for our team,” said Rutherford. “He is one of our top penalty killers and provides speed for our forward lines.”

Dwyer, 29, completed his fourth NHL season in 2011-12, totaling five goals and seven assists (12 points) in 73 games played. The Spokane, WA, native ranked tied for third among Hurricanes in hits (129) and second among team forwards in blocked shots (62). After the season, Dwyer represented the United States at the 2012 IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Finland, totaling three points (1g, 2a) in eight games.

Originally drafted by Atlanta in 2002, Dwyer (5’11”, 175) signed with the Hurricanes as a free agent on July 7, 2006. He made his NHL debut with Carolina on Nov. 2, 2008, and posted career highs in games played (80), goals (8), assists (10) and points (18) during the 2010-11 season. Dwyer has totaled 21 goals, 22 assists (43 points) and 41 penalty minutes in 224 career regular-season NHL games and earned one assist in two career Stanley Cup playoff games.