The Carolina Hurricanes have signed unrestricted free agent forward Tom Kostopoulos to a three-year, $2.75 million contract.
Kostopoulos, 30, will make $700,000 next season, $950,000 in 2010-11 and $1.1 million in the final year of the deal.
"Tom is a character player who adds grit to our lineup," said Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford. "He is a strong penalty killer and plays a high-energy game that will fit our team's style of play."
Kostopoulos registered eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 78 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season.
Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the seventh round, 204th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Kostopoulos has accumulated 40 goals and 65 assists and 468 penalty minutes in 376 career NHL regular-season games.
