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RALEIGH, N.C. — The National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes announced today that the team has signed forward Chad LaRose to a one-year contract. The deal will pay LaRose $875,000 for the 2008-09 season. LaRose, a former Florida Everblade, had filed for salary arbitration.

“This should be the last signing to complete our team heading into this season,” said president and general manager Jim Rutherford. “We’re glad to come to an agreement and avoid arbitration with Chad.”

LaRose, 26, completed his third NHL season with the Hurricanes in 2007-08, earning career highs in goals (11) and points (23) and matching his career high in assists (12), despite playing in only 58 of Carolina’s 82 games. LaRose (5’10’’, 181 lbs.) was tied for the team lead in shorthanded points (2) and led all Hurricanes forwards in plus/minus (+6). The Fraser, MI, native returned to action for the Hurricanes’ final five games of the season after missing 21 games with a broken leg suffered against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 5. He had points in four of Carolina’s final five games of the season, including his first career hat trick on April 2 against Tampa Bay.

LaRose, who originally signed with Carolina as an undrafted free agent on Aug. 6, 2003, has totaled 18 goals and 36 assists (54 points) in 187 career NHL games with the Hurricanes. He had one assist while playing in 21 of Carolina’s 25 playoff games in 2006 en route to the Stanley Cup championship.

LaRose played 41 games for the ECHL's Everblades in 2003-04, scoring 16 goals and adding 19 assists. He had seven total points in 14 playoff games.