RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Jeremy Welsh on a two-year contract. In 2012-13, the deal will pay Welsh $700,000 at the NHL level or $105,000 at the minor-league level. In 2013-14, Welsh will receive $1 million.

“Jeremy is a player we think very highly of,” said Rutherford. “He is a big man that can play center or left wing, and has really good hockey sense.”

Welsh, 23, made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes in the team’s final game of the 2011-12 season, skating 16:32 of ice time and totaling four penalty minutes. Prior to joining Carolina, Welsh recorded 27 goals, 17 assists (44 points) and 47 penalty minutes in 40 games for Union College of ECAC Hockey, ranking first on the team and fourth in the NCAA in goals (27). The Bayfield, Ont., native had nine points (5g, 4a) in eight postseason games for the Dutchmen, including a five-game goal-scoring streak to lead Union to its first ECAC Hockey Championship and first Frozen Four berth in school history. For his efforts, Welsh (6’3”, 210 lbs.) was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Month for March, Most Outstanding Player of the ECAC Championship and Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA East Regional in Bridgeport, CT.

Welsh completed his three-year collegiate career with 100 points (53g, 47a) in 119 games for Union. Prior to college, he played for the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, totaling 36 goals and 47 assists (83 points) in 49 regular-season games in 2008-09. In 2007-08, he helped lead the Blades to the Buckland Cup title, Dudley Hewitt Cup championship and Ontario Hockey Association championship. He also participated in the Royal Bank Cup, where he was voted best forward.