Hurricanes Sign Forward Tlusty to One-Year Extension

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have signed left wing Jiri Tlusty to a one-year contract extension worth $500,000. He would have been eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The Hurricanes acquired the 22-year-old forward last December from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the rights to center Philippe Paradis. In 20 games last season with the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes, Tlusty scored one goal and five assists for six points. In 92 career NHL games, he has 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points. This is an okay signing for the Hurricanes, as Tlusty has the skills to become a talented forward in the NHL, but has been unable to prove it thus far. He has decent playmaking skills and can be creative with the puck, but he's not very good defensively and will probably not be a huge goal-scorer. He's not a bad depth player for the Hurricanes, and at $500,000, is an affordable player if he can improve his play offensively.