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 right wing Spencer Smallman on a three-year, entry-level contract. On the NHL level, the deal will pay Smallman $650,000 in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and $700,000 in 2019-20. On the AHL level, he will be paid $65,000 in 2017-18 and $70,000 in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and he receives a signing bonus of $225,000.

"Spencer took a big step forward this season," said Francis. "He's been in a leadership role for his team for the last three years, and helped Saint John to the best record in the Quebec League this year."

Smallman, 20, established career highs in goals (30), assists (49) and points (79) for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) this season. Born in Summerside, P.E.I., but raised in Fredericton, N.B., Smallman ranked second among Sea Dogs skaters in assists, third in points and fourth in goals, and led the team with 38 points (14g, 24a) on the power play. Smallman had three goals and two assists (5 points) during Saint John's four-game sweep of Rimouski in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.

Smallman (6'1", 200 lbs.) is Saint John's all-time leader in career regular-season games played, and has served as the team's captain for the past two seasons. A fifth-round pick, 138th overall, by the Hurricanes in the 2015 NHL Draft, he totaled 223 points (86g, 137a) and 223 penalty minutes in 293 career regular-season games for the Sea Dogs. His teammates with St. John include Hurricanes' 2016 first-round selection Julien Gauthier and 2015 fourth-round pick Callum Booth.