Gleason, Canes close in on deal

Defenseman could double his salary

RALEIGH -- Tim Gleason's head is OK. His wallet may be doing pretty well soon, too.

The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman survived a hit to the head at the World Championships earlier this month with no ill effects. With the tournament over -- Gleason and the United States lost to Finland in the quarterfinals -- the restricted free agent is working on a new contract with the Canes.

"We've kind of been going back and forth," Gleason said Wednesday. "Hopefully, it's coming toward an end soon. It's ongoing. We'll see what happens in the next little bit."

Gleason emerged as Carolina's top defensive defenseman over the second half of the season while making $1.175 million, a relative bargain. He stands to more than double that.

How much he ends up making will depend on whether the two sides agree on a two-year contract that takes him up to his eligibility for unrestricted free agency or a longer deal that buys him out of a year or two of free agency.

"It really comes down to a matter of how long the deal's going to be," Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said. "It's about term, the length of the contract."

Gleason was injured on May 11 when Florida Panthers forward Olli Jokinen hit him from behind in the first of two U.S. meetings with Finland. Gleason missed the rest of that game and the next U.S. game as a precautionary measure after suffering a concussion in February.

"I kind of saw him coming but he went toward my head," Gleason said. "He hit me from behind -- not my body, pretty much my head. I think we were being more cautious because I had a mild one [concussion] a month ago, a few months ago now. I just took a break for a day or two."

Carolina has four other restricted free agents at the NHL level: forwards Patrick Eaves, Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.

The Canes retain the rights to any restricted free agents and have the option after July 1 to match offers or receive draft picks in return.

HEDICAN MEETING ON AGENDA: With "Dancing with the Stars" concluded, Bret Hedican is expected to meet with Rutherford to discuss his future. Hedican left immediately after the season to be with his wife, figure-skater Kristi Yamaguchi, as she competed, victoriously, on the ABC series.

"It's really up to Bret," Rutherford said. "The last message I got from him, he said would call me when he gets back. I would expect that to happen within the next week or so."

The 37-year-old defenseman has expressed an interest in continuing to play in the NHL, but he and Yamaguchi have said they intend to relocate near her family in Northern California.

"I'm not sure what the future holds in Carolina, as far as I'm concerned," Hedican said this week.

TAILWINDS: John Grahame signed this week with Avangard Omsk of the Russian league, according to a Russian newspaper. The Canes were not expected to offer Grahame a new contract after two seasons as Cam Ward's backup.

* Former Hurricanes defenseman Aaron Ward re-signed with the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, agreeing to a two-year, $5 million extension. He had been rumored to be considering a return to Carolina.