Hurricanes Agree to Terms with Aucoin and Gove

[Thrillhouse]

RALEIGH, NC – Jason Karmanos, Vice President and Assistant General Manager for the 2006 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms on two-year contracts with forwards Keith Aucoin and Dave Gove.

Aucoin will make $450,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the American Hockey League level in the first year of his contract and $475,000 in the NHL and $110,000 in the AHL in the second year. Aucoin is guaranteed at least $125,000 per season under the terms of the deal. At the NHL level, Gove will be paid $450,000 in the first year of his contract and $475,000 in second year, while making $75,000 each season at the AHL level with a yearly guarantee of $100,000.

“Keith and Dave are experienced players and add valuable depth to our organization’s forward lines,” said Karmanos. “They each had successful AHL seasons last year while getting their first taste of the NHL.”

In 2005-06, Aucoin led Carolina’s AHL affiliate Lowell with 29 goals, 56 assists (85 points) in 72 regular-season games to rank eighth in the league in assists and 10th in scoring. The Waltham, Mass., native made his NHL debut on Jan. 23 against Montreal and had one assist in seven NHL games with Carolina. Aucoin, 27, played for the PlanetUSA squad at the 2006 AHL All-Star Game and had an assist in the contest. In five AHL seasons with Lowell, Providence and Cincinnati, Aucoin (5’9”, 185 lbs.) has scored 99 goals and earned 190 assists (289 points) in 332 regular-season games.

Gove, 28, scored 20 goals and earned 26 assists (46 points) in 2005-06 to rank second among Lowell skaters in scoring while playing 65 regular-season games. The Centerville, Mass., native made his NHL debut with Carolina on Jan. 31 at Montreal and earned his first NHL point with an assist on Eric Staal’s first goal of the game. In 299 career regular-season AHL games, Gove (5’9”, 190 lbs.) has scored 64 goals and earned 90 assists (154 points) with Grand Rapids, San Antonio, Utah, Providence and Lowell.

Both Aucoin and Gove practiced and traveled with the Hurricanes during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs. Carolina’s top minor-league players will play with the Albany River Rats of the AHL in 2005-06.