Hurricanes Sign Winger Phil Di Giuseppe To Entry-Level Deal

After three years of up-and-down production with the Michigan Wolverines, Phil Di Giuseppe finally found his groove down the stretch this season, scoring eight goals and registering two assists in U-M’s final nine games. He parlayed that into an early departure from Ann Arbor and a three-year, entry-level deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Di Giuseppe’s contract includes a $277,500 bonus and will pay him $675,000, $725,000 and $775,000 if he reaches the NHL in each of the next three seasons starting with the balance of the 2014-15 campaign. He will earn $70,000 a year in the AHL. He will forgo his fourth year of NCAA eligibility.

The Hurricanes selected Di Giuseppe, a Maple, Ontario, native, with the 38th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. Here is the release from the team.

‘CANES AGREE TO TERMS WITH DI GIUSEPPE
2012 Draft selection completed his junior season at Michigan in 2013-14

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Vice President of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with left wing Phil Di Giuseppe on a three-year, entry-level contract. On the NHL level, the deal will pay Di Giuseppe $675,000 in 2014-15, $725,000 in 2015-16 and $775,000 in 2016-17. He will earn $70,000 per year on the American Hockey League level and the deal includes a signing bonus of $277,500.

"We’re pleased that Phil has chosen to begin his professional hockey career," said Francis. "He’s got good size, and adds to our organization’s depth at forward."

Di Giuseppe, 20, ranked 22nd in the Big Ten in scoring in 2013-14, totaling 13 goals and 11 assists (24 points) in 35 games for the University of Michigan. He netted game-winning goals for the Wolverines vs. Michigan State on Jan. 23, Penn State on Feb. 22 and at Ohio State on March 2. The Maple, Ont., native scored a goal to force overtime in Michigan’s Big Ten Tournament opener against Penn State, before the Wolverines fell to the Nittany Lions in double overtime to end their 2013-14 campaign.

Selected by the Hurricanes in the second round, 38th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft, Di Giuseppe completed his college career with 33 goals, 45 assists (78 points) and 79 penalty minutes in 116 career games for Michigan.