The Canes have agreed to terms with defenseman Zack Fitzgerald on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Fitzgerald a minimum of $75,000, with a salary of $500,000 at the NHL level, and $65,000 at the minor-league level.
Fitzgerald, 25, led the American Hockey League with 311 penalty minutes in 2009-10, while playing for the Hurricanes’ top minor-league affiliate, the Albany River Rats. The Two Harbors, Minn., native scored two goals and had 12 assists (14 points) while playing in 77 of Albany’s 80 regular-season games.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at