Hurricanes sign Reed

RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes continued to add prospects to their system Thursday when they signed forward Harrison Reed, a third-round pick in 2006.

Reed was one of the big surprises of training camp that fall -- showing up as one of the fittest players in camp before playing well in scrimmages and one preseason game -- but after scoring 26 goals in his draft year, he scored a combined 43 over the next two seasons.

Still, the Canes think Reed could be the kind of player whose skills -- skating ability and a good shot -- may be a better fit for professional hockey than they were at the junior level.

Reed, 20, will make $500,000 at the NHL level and $55,000 in the minors with a $100,000 signing bonus as part of his three-year entry-level contract.

In addition to Reed, the Canes have signed forwards Stefan Chaput, Nick Dodge and Brandon Sutter and defensemen Brett Bellemore and Bryan Rodney over the past two months to help fill out the roster in Albany (AHL) next season. Sutter, Carolina's first-round pick last June, is expected to make a serious run at an NHL roster spot.

Among veteran Albany players, Keith Aucoin, Ryan Bayda, Wade Brookbank and Michael Leighton are unrestricted free agents, and Tim Conboy, Pat Dwyer, Joe Jensen, Joey Mormina and Brandon Nolan are restricted free agents. All but Dwyer played in the NHL last season, although Dwyer was called up at one point.