Zach Boychuk and Greg Nemisz Ink One-Year Deals

The Carolina Hurricanes announced the signing of Zach Boychuk on Wednesday night.  Boychuk had just been qualified a couple of days prior, so the signing comes as no surprise.

Both Ron Francis and new coach, Bill Peters, specifically mentioned Boychuk as someone who they would like to see take the next step this coming season.

The winger is coming off of his best season as a pro as he led the AHL in goals scored and played pretty well for Carolina when he was called up on limited duty.  The details of the two-way, one-year contract will be in the team presser which follows.

The team also signed Greg Nemisz, another last minute qualified RFA who was acquired from Calgary in the Kevin Westgarth trade last year.  He had eight goals and 20 points playing in Charlotte last season.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2014

‘CANES, BOYCHUK AGREE ON ONE-YEAR DEAL

Forward led American Hockey League in goal scoring in 2013-14

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Zach Boychuk on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Boychuk $600,000 at the NHL level, or $200,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level, with a guarantee of $275,000.

Boychuk, 24, split the 2013-14 season between the Hurricanes and the team’s AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers. The Airdrie, Alb., native won the Willie Marshall Award as the AHL’s top goal scorer with a Checkers club-record 36 goals. His team-best 74 points ranked second in the AHL, and his 38 assists were good for second on the team. Boychuk (5’10", 185 lbs.) also scored one goal and earned three assists in 11 games with the Hurricanes during four separate recall stints.

Originally drafted by the Hurricanes in the first round, 14^th overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft, Boychuk has scored nine goals and earned 15 assists (24 points) in 96 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Nashville and Carolina. Since playing his first professional hockey in 2008-09, he also has skated in 296 regular-season games with the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliates in Albany and Charlotte, notching 117 goals and earning 146 assists (263 points).

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2014

HURRICANES SIGN GREG NEMISZ TO ONE-YEAR DEAL

Forward joined Hurricanes organization via trade in 2013-14

RALEIGH, NC – Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Greg Nemisz (NEH-mihtz) to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Nemisz $600,000 in the NHL or $100,000 in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2014-15 season, with a guarantee of at least $125,000.

Nemisz, 24, scored eight goals, earned 12 assists (20 points) and posted a plus-9 plus/minus rating in 46 American Hockey League (AHL) games in 2013-14. The Courtice, Ont., native joined the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers after being acquired by Carolina from the Calgary Flames on Dec. 30, 2013, in exchange for Kevin Westgarth. In 14 games with Charlotte, Nemisz scored three goals, earned eight assists (11 points) and had a plus-4 plus/minus rating before he was sidelined with an injury in early March.

Now entering his fifth professional season, Nemisz (6’3", 197 lbs.) has appeared in 15 career NHL regular-season games with Calgary, earning one assist. He has scored 38 goals and earned 54 assists (92 points) in 220 career AHL regular-season games with Abbotsford and Charlotte. The Flames drafted Nemisz in the first round, 25^th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He was a member of the Windsor Spitfires’ back-to-back Memorial Cup-winning teams in 2009 and 2010, and represented Canada at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.