Hurricanes open free agency by giving Stalberg 1-year deal

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Hurricanes opened free agency by adding two forwards on Friday.

The Hurricanes agreed to terms with Lee Stempniak on a two-year contract and with Viktor Stalberg on a one-year deal.

Those acquisitions came after general manager Ron Francis made a few moves during the past few weeks, buying out defenseman James Wisniewski's contract and acquiring forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell in a trade with Chicago.

''We talked about trying to add some size. We talked about trying to add some leadership,'' Francis said. ''We brought some (Stanley) Cups into the room. We're pleased with where we are today compared with where we finished the year.''

The 33-year-old Stempniak will receive $2.5 million this season and in 2017-18. He had 19 goals and 33 assists in 82 games with New Jersey and Boston last season, and has 184 goals during an 11-season NHL career that also includes stints in St. Louis, Toronto, Phoenix, Calgary, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and the New York Rangers.

The 30-year-old Stalberg, who will make $1.5 million this season, had nine goals and 11 assists in 75 games with the Rangers last season. Francis called the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Stalberg ''another big strong player who can skate.''

Carolina also brought a retired goalie into the organization, hiring Curtis Joseph as a goaltending consultant. His job will be to work with the team's goalies at its AHL affiliate in Charlotte and with the goalies it drafts at the junior and college level and to handle other special assignments.

The Hurricanes also signed forward Andrew Miller to a two-way deal. Miller skated in 11 games last season in Charlotte, and he's played 15 career NHL games, all with Edmonton.