On the first day of free agency, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed Rasmus Rissanen to a one-year, two-way contract and Jaccob Slavin to a three-year, entry-level deal.
Rissanen, a sixth-round pick in 2009, has spent the majority of his career in Charlotte, logging 240 games in a Checkers' sweater, putting him sixth on the franchise's all-time games played list. The 23-year-old earned his first NHL call-up last season, appearing in six games for Carolina before an injury put an end to his season.
Slavin joins the organization after completing two seasons at Colorado College. Selected in the fourth round of the 2012 draft, the 20-year-old led the Tigers in scoring his freshman year and was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference Rookie of the Year, and earned first-team, All-NCHC honors his sophomore year.
Should both blue liners end up sticking in Charlotte next season, that would give the Checkers eight defensemen under contract heading into training camp, with Slavin joining fellow rookies Brett Pesce and Tyler Ganly.
