Hurricanes sign Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier to entry level contracts

For the second year in a row, the Carolina Hurricanes have used their annual Summerfest to sign their newest team members.

Last year, it was Noah Hanifin doing the honors. This time, Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier put pen to paper and signed identical three-year entry level deals.

About Bean, GM Ron Francis said in a statement that he enjoyed getting to know the 13th pick better at this week's prospect camp. "He has a bright future in our organization and we are looking forward to seeing him again at the rookie tournament and during training camp."

Francis had similar sentiments about Gauthier, the 21st pick two weeks ago in Buffalo. "For an 18-year-old, Julien already has the body of a professional hockey player," he said. "He had a great week in Raleigh for development camp, and will play an important role in the Hurricanes’ future."

The releases from the team are below.

‘CANES SIGN JAKE BEAN TO ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT

Carolina selected defenseman 13th overall in 2016 NHL Draft

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed defenseman Jake Bean to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will pay Bean $832,500 on the NHL level or $70,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level through his first three professional seasons. Bean also receives a signing bonus of $277,500.

"It was great having Jake here for our development camp this week, and getting to know him better as a person and player," said Francis. "He has a bright future in our organization and we are looking forward to seeing him again at the rookie tournament and during training camp."

Bean, 18, scored 24 goals and earned 40 assists (64 points) in 68 regular-season games in 2015-16 for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The Calgary native ranked first among WHL blueliners with 24 goals, tied for first among league defensemen with 12 power-play goals and sixth in defensemen points (64). In 2014-15, Bean (6’1", 173 lbs.) set a Hitmen franchise record for a rookie defenseman as he recorded 39 points (5g, 34a) in 51 games, and has totaled 103 points (29g, 74a) in 119 career WHL games with Calgary. Internationally, he represented Canada in August 2015 as his home country captured its eighth-straight win at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. The Hurricanes selected Bean 13th overall in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft.

JULIEN GAUTHIER SIGNED TO ENTRY-LEVEL CONTRACT

Hurricanes selected forward 21st overall in 2016 NHL Draft

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has signed forward Julien Gauthier (GO-tyay) to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will pay Gauthier $832,500 on the NHL level or $70,000 on the American Hockey League (AHL) level through his first three professional seasons. Gauthier also receives a signing bonus of $277,500.

"For an 18-year-old, Julien already has the body of a professional hockey player," said Francis. "He had a great week in Raleigh for development camp, and will play an important role in the Hurricanes’ future."

Gauthier, 18, led the Val d’Or Foreurs, and ranked tied for sixth among all Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) skaters, with 41 goals in 54 regular-season games played in 2015-16. The Point-aux-Trembles, Que., native completed his third full season of major-junior hockey last season, helping the Foreurs to 49 wins and the No. 4 seed in the QMJHL playoffs. Since joining Val d’Or in 2014-15, Gauthier (6’4", 224 lbs.) has scored 88 goals and earned 72 assists (160 points) in 184 career regular-season QMJHL games, and has added 22 points (7g, 15a) in 47 career playoff games. He represented Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championship in Helsinki, earning two assists in five games played.